Premonitions II: Crisis Core
by Hippo and Friends
Summary: Based on Crisis Core and two original story arcs, Zack begins a search for the missing Genesis, finding more that he expected, Tifa goes on a search for her father, revealed to be alive, that everyone is telling her is hopeless (all while planning her wedding to Cloud), and Vincent yearns for Lucrecia. An M for profanity, violence, and nudity. Please review!
1. The Continental Governor

Disclaimer: I do not own the main characters. The following narrative is a combination of the game Crisis Core, as well as two original story arcs.

"Crisis Core" is based on the game of the same name and is not my property, although several of the characters are my creation.

"The Long Week of Hell" is an original story arc. I do not own the main characters, although some minor ones are my creation.

"Vincent's Blues" is also an original story arc. I do not own the main characters.

In this story, three seemingly separate arcs intersect with each other. The story arcs are:

"Crisis Core:" Zack Fair is living a life as normal as it can get for a member of SOLDIER. But all that changes when a SOLDIER named Genesis suddenly disappears and begins making copies of himself.

"The Long Week of Hell:" Cloud and Tifa plan their wedding. Yet Tifa, having found evidence that her father is still alive, begins to take advantage of the new, alternative timeline created by the events of the original Premonitions, and search for him, against the advice of all of her friends.

"Vincent's Blues:" Vincent, still yearning for Lucrecia, may have found a way to bring her back. But he might need an unlikely ally to do so...

This is a sequel to "Premonitions." It is suggested you read that story before this one.

Chapter 1: The Continental Governor

January 28, 0008

Monday

4:00 p.m.

The Continental Governor stood facing out of the window. Her office was on the third floor of an otherwise unimportant building in Nibelheim, yet she was the most powerful person on the Western Continent. Officially, she had been the Continental Governor for twelve years. In practice, she only had actual power for a few weeks. She had been appointed a figurehead by the Shinra to make the continent's government appear democratic. Now that the Shinra was gone, the power had passed to her.

She was blond with short hair, and about thirty-five years old. She had no term limit; Continental Governors were appointed for life. She might very well leave her position in a coffin. Given her age, she would, in theory, serve for a very long time.

It had been a long day. She had been updating records and signing pardons for those that the Shinra had punished unfairly. Now, it was four in the afternoon; the time her office closed. She sighed in relief that the day was over. And then, she groaned when she realized that it was not. There was one final loose end she had not tied up. It was the last thing she had to take care of before she could retire for the day.

"I'll see her now," she called to her open door.

A few moments later, young woman of nineteen or twenty entered the room. She had long, raven hair, and chestnut eyes. She was wearing a black short-skirt, and a white crop-tank. Her belly button was quite visible, though she had no ring in it. In fact, she had no visible body piercings nor any tattoos, save for her earrings.

The Continental Governor was not impressed with her attire. She was the most powerful person on the Western Continent, and preferred to be treated formally. She would no doubt impose a dress code the next morning. But, for now, there was a meeting to get over with.

"Have you been waiting long?" she asked.

"Since one," the girl replied.

The Continental Governor immediately became offended. She realized that this was not somebody she would get along with.

"With all of these sudden changes, you have to know how busy we are!"

"I didn't mean to criticize," the girl insisted. "You asked."

"I suppose we shouldn't waste any more time, then," the Continental Governor suggested as she sat down at her desk, and signaled for the girl to do so. "Now then," she continued, "you came to see me for a serious reason?"

"Two, actually," the girl replied.

"Could I have your name, please?" asked the Continental Governor as she booted up her laptop. "Last, first, and middle."

"Lockheart," the girl replied. "Tiffany Claire. Call me Tifa."

_THE Tifa Lockheart. The girl who helped save the world from Meteor. _

_And a wanted terrorist._

"So, Miss Lockheart," the Continental Governor continued, "what can I do for you?"

"I'm here to correct a faulty record," Tifa replied. "A person who is still alive was mistakenly declared dead."

"Well," said the Continental Governor, "that's most definitely a serious reason. You've certainly come to the right place to take care of that."

"The person mistakenly declared dead," Tifa continued, "is my father, Brian Lockheart."

The Continental Governor folded her hands.

"I don't believe there's a faulty record there, Miss Lockheart," she said.

"But there was no body officially recovered," Tifa protested. "At least not according to records. It seems as if the Shinra simply made a decision without checking the facts."

"You said there was a second reason you came here today," the Continental Governor said, completely disregarding Tifa's previous comment.

"I'm also here to register for a marriage license," Tifa replied. "This Saturday, I go from a Miss to a Mrs."

"Let's hope this situation doesn't hinder your enjoyment of that."

Tifa felt her stomach tighten. She was well aware that she, along with the rest of her friends, were still considered fugitives.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"You realize, Miss Lockheart, that you are among the Western Continent's most wanted terrorists?"

"I've heard rumors," Tifa replied.

"Blowing up two mako reactors, using trains without tickets, assult on Shinra employees, misuse of Shinra property, illegally boarding a Shinra barge, summoning of Meteor, escape from Shinra detention, theft of Shinra property, illegal entry of Shinra Headquarters, twice. These charges have been passed on to the Continental Governors of all three continents," the Continental Governor informed her. "I'm going on the presumption that you claim that you're innocent?"

"That is correct," Tifa confirmed. "Given the circumstances. We kind of needed to save the planet."

"You know, of course, that I have to interrogate you," the Continental Governor confirmed as she opened a new file on her laptop.

"I figured," Tifa agreed. "I do have a story to back up my actions."

"That would be an interesting story," observed the Continental Governor. "Let's hear it."

"Will it count as the interrogation?" Tifa asked.

"It's a simple formality," the Continental Governor replied. "But I do need to warn you not to volunteer anything beyond the questions I ask, okay? Nothing."

"I'll try," Tifa answered. "But I can't be hiding vital information if I'm not asked about it."

"Were you involved in the expedition that ultimately led to the phenomenon that destroyed Meteor?" the Continental Governor asked.

"I was," Tifa replied.

"Were you involved by accident?" the Continental Governor then asked.

"In a way," Tifa replied. "It all began when a friend of mine was murdered. I tried to bring his murderer to justice, and everything ran away with itself." She paused. "You're not typing anything."

"I'm not yet understanding why this is important," the Continental Governor replied.

"Everything I say should be important," Tifa insisted.

"Remember," continued the Continental Governor, "it's your name we're trying to clear here. If we were trying to clear anyone else's, things would be different."

"Well," Tifa said, "now that you mention that, there are nine of us who need our names cleared."

"We'll get to the others as your story progresses, no doubt," the Continental Governor said. "Now you said you were trying to being your friend's murderer to justice. What date was this?"

"August the nineteenth," Tifa replied.

"0007?"

"0016."

The Continental Governor took her hands away from her laptop, and gave Tifa a troubled look.

"You are either extremely honest or extremely deluded," she pointed out in a cross tone of voice.

"I try to be the former," Tifa stressed.

"The date you gave me is more than eight years from now. How is that even possible?"

"It's a long story, and I know it's hard to believe, but I can prove it. Will you listen?"

"You have as much time as anybody else," the Continental Governor replied.

"This all began on the night of August 19, 0016. I was about to go out with my husband when I got word that a boy I had raised had been murdered."

"Records show that you've never been married," the Continental Governor pointed out.

"This is the future," she said. "You won't find any record of it."

"Continue," the Continental Governor commanded.

"I met up with Cloud Strife-that's who I'm getting married to, by the way-and Barret Wallace at the crime scene," Tifa continued. "We realized that it was Bestla Heidegger who had murdered him. Now, I know you're going to tell me she died in Midgar a couple of weeks ago, and I'll explain that later. In 0016, we tracked her down. As it turned out, she was after a device called the Chronus Wand. Whoever got a hold of it could use it to go anywhere, any time."

"Why did she want it?" asked the Continental Governor.

"She wanted to come back to this time," Tifa replied. "Sephiroth's goal was to absorb the Lifestream and become a god. Bestla's intention was to kill Sephiroth and take his place. She would kill us, have Meteor fall, absorb the Lifestream, and become a goddess herself."

"And you didn't stop her in 0016?"

"She killed us," Tifa replied. "Barret first, then me, then Cloud. Bestla had this gun full of blue energy. Anything she zapped with it turned to dust seconds later. She zapped a bridge Barret had been on and turned it to dust, causing him to fall to his death. She then zapped me, turning me to dust. She then shot Cloud in the stomach with a regular firearm."

"You look a little to alive to be dead," the Continental Governor pointed out.

"In short, my death was undone by the changed timeline," Tifa clarified. "So Bestla used the Chronus Wand and traveled back to December 9, 0007. She thought it would be easy, but she wasn't prepared for the rules of time travel."

"Rules?" the Continental Governor asked, bewildered. "Time travel actually has rules?"

"Four rules, to be exact," Tifa replied. "One, people will have premonitions of the future if someone goes back in time. If you've been getting premonitions over the last month and a half, that's why."

"I'll admit I have been," the Continental Governor said. "And I thought I was going crazy."

"Two," Tifa continued, "if you're having premonitions and you enter the Lifestream, you'll fully regain your memories from your future life."

"And that is how you remember dying in the future?" the Continental Governor asked.

"You got it," Tifa replied. "Three, past events can be changed. But the timeline fights back. If you save someone who was supposed to drown, they might get hit by a car later on."

"You're saying that time is alive?" asked the Continental Governor suspiciously.

"I'm not sure," Tifa answered. "But we know the planet is, so all bets are off. Four, if someone cheats death, the premonitions stop."

"So how did it feel?" asked the Continental Governor. "To be killed?"

"It's hard to describe," Tifa replied. "Bestla zapped me with her blaster, I tearfully said good-bye to Cloud, and I felt my body dry up. I then found myself at my Seventh Heaven bar, serving drinks while Cloud and Barret invaded Reactor Number One."

"So you're testifying that two other wanted terrorists did indeed destroy Reactor Number One?" inquired the Continental Governor.

Tifa was silent.

"Whatever happened in Midgar, Kalm, or Junon needs to be discussed with the Continental Governor of the Eastern Continent," explained the Continental Governor. "That's out of my jurisdiction. I'm also assuming those two blew up the Sector Five Reactor the next day?"

"You got it," Tifa replied. "I went along that time."

"Why did you stop?" asked the Continental Governor.

"Cloud got separated from us when we blew it," Tifa replied. "When we reunited, we learned that the Shinra were going to destroy the Sector Seven pillar. We tried to stop them, but they succeeded anyway. We then infiltrated the Shinra Building, and met Red XIII. We were captured during our escape. We later found our cell doors wide open, and that President Shinra had been killed by Sephiroth. We then managed to escape the building and the city."

"And yet you didn't blow up any more reactors in all that confusion," the Continental Governor pointed out.

"Our mission changed when we got to Kalm," Tifa explained. "Cloud told us about his experience with Sephiroth, and how he built up his basic disgust of the human race. We then decided to pursue him."

"When did you get to the Western Continent?" asked the Continent Governor. "Where it really mattered?"

"We then went to Junon and took the barge over to Costa del Sol," Tifa answered. "On the way there, we encountered Sephiroth. He killed a few soldiers, but spared Rufus and all of the other executives."

"And what happened after you landed in Costa del Sol?" inquired the Continental Governor.

"We headed through Mount Corel and stopped at Gold Saucer. There we met Cait Sith, who was actually a robotic avatar controlled by the former Shinra executive Reeve Tuesti. Unaware of this, we let him join us."

"After Gold Saucer," continued the Continental Governor, "what did you do?"

"We stopped at Cosmo Canyon," Tifa continued. "We learned the true nature of the planet there. We then passed through Nibelheim, where we met Vincent Valentine, and Rocket Town, where we met Cid Highwind. Soon afterwards, we found the Temple of the Ancients, which Sephiroth turned into the black materia. That was what he used to summon Meteor."

"Continue," commanded the Continental Governor. "So far it looks like you've done no wrong under my jurisdiction."

"I forgot to mention," replied Tifa, "we also met Yuffie Kisaragi. We let her join us, but we had to reclaim our property from her several times."

"Yuffie Kisaragi, along with Vincent Valentine, Red XIII, Reeve Tuetsi, and Cid Highwind, are not wanted for any crimes whatsoever," the Continental Governor said. "But, now would be a good time to file charges of theft against her if you so desire."

"I'll pass," Tifa dismissed.

"What happened after the Temple of the Ancients?" asked the Continental Governor.

"We departed the Western Continent at that point," Tifa answered. "We went to the Northern Continent and made our way through Bone Village, the Sleeping Forest, the Forgotten Capital, Icicle Inn, and endless fields of snow before reaching the North Pole. That was where Sephiroth summoned Meteor, and we were captured by the Shinra. Cloud got separated from the rest of us."

"Since you're getting married," the Continental Governor pointed out, "may I assume you found him?"

"Eventually, yes," Tifa replied. "We were originally taken back to Junon on the Eastern Continent. We shared a cell with Bestla. She escaped with the help of Nara, who I can only see her as her sidekick. We escaped being executed by stealing the Shinra 2000 and renaming it the Highwind. That was also when Junon was destroyed by Bestla when she dropped a blue energy orb on the city. We found Cloud in Mideel. We both fell into the Lifestream there, where we regained our memories from 0016."

"Continue," commanded the Continental Governor.

"We returned to the Western Continent. Barret helped prevent a train from crashing into North Corel. The lives he helped save were in the double digits."

"Can you think of anything even remotely illegal that you did on the Western Continent?"

"One thing, maybe," Tifa replied. "We snuck into the Shinra Number 26 and loaded it with extra materia. Meteor was delayed as a result, and possibly bought us enough time to save the planet."

"That's technically a crime," the Continental Governor said. "But as it no doubt saved us all, I can issue you all a pardon for that."

"Thank you," Tifa said.

"I take it everything else was done on the Eastern Continent?" asked the Continental Governor.

"Mostly," Tifa answered. "Our friend Yuffie was captured, and we mounted a rescue mission. In the process, we killed Heidegger, Scarlet, Palmer, Hojo, and Rufus, all in self-defense."

"The Eastern Continent might demand extradition," the Continental Governor warned.

"I'll be happy to explain the circumstances," Tifa volunteered.

"May I ask, what happened to the Bestla from 0016?" asked the Continental Governor. "I know the present day Bestla was killed by debris."

"She tried to destroy Midgar the same way she destroyed Junon. She tried to drop another blue energy orb, but, instead, she destroyed herself, along with the 0016 Urchin. The debris from the 0016 Urchin killed the 0008 Bestla."

"The 0016 Urchin?" asked the Continental Governor. "You mean there's a 0008 Urchin somewhere?"

"There was," Tifa replied. "It was flown into the barrier over the Northern Crater. That was when we were able to enter the caves and find Sephiroth. We fought him, and he escaped. We found him at the Nibel Reactor and engaged him in a final showdown."

"Well," continued the Continental Governor, "as we are here, you've obviously defeated him."

Tifa nodded. "At great cost, yes we did."

"You still observe that I'm not typing anything," the Continental Governor then said.

"I do," Tifa confirmed.

"Getting back to your quest," the Continental Governor then said.

"You mean my search for my father?" Tifa asked.

"Miss Lockheart," continued the Continental Governor, "you're wandering in a foolish direction."

"With all due respect," Tifa said, "I've been told that in some form or another several times. Nobody has been able to convince me to stop."

"I can't protect you everywhere," said the Continental Governor. "Even on the Western Continent. Not everyone obeys the law. This kind of search could get you killed."

"It's a risk I'm willing to take," Tifa insisted. "I have to know the truth. If my father is alive and I never save him, I won't ever be able to live with myself. I can't have it any other way."

The Continental Governor sighed. She reached for a picture on the right side of her desk and turned it one hundred and eighty degrees, revealing a couple who somewhat looked like her.

"These are my parents," she began. "My father died four years ago. And my mother three years before that in the Wutai War. I still miss them terribly, Miss Lockheart. Every now and then, I wonder if there's any way possible that they could somehow still be alive. But reality always sets in, and I have to accept that they're dead. I sorely want them back, but I can only move forward."

"You honor," Tifa said, "this does go beyond wishful thinking. When Cloud and I were in the Lifestream, we saw the souls of our deceased loved ones. We saw Cloud's parents. We saw two members of Avalanche. We saw my mother, but not my father. If he had died, he should have been there."

"And that is the burden of your belief that he's still alive?" asked the Continental Governor.

"There were two other people who we expected to see in the Lifestream, but didn't," Tifa said. "We later found both of them alive and well."

"I see," said the Continental Governor. "Tell me, would your father want you risking your life for him?"

"Probably not," Tifa replied. "But I've been asked that before as well. I'm sorry, but I've made my descision to search for him, and I will not stop until I find him. And no one, not even the Continental Governor, can convince me to quit."

The Continental Governor stood up, and gave Tifa a threatening look.

"You know," she warned, "if it pleases me, you might sleep the night in jail."

"Your honor, I've slept the night in worse places," Tifa replied.

"I am curious," the Continental Governor continued, "why were you really here? Were you hoping to get information out of me about his possible whereabouts?"

"I was," Tifa answered.

The Continental Governor gave her a surprised look.

"You're being that open with me?"

"I can't perjure myself, can I?" asked Tifa. "I certainly can't leave any stone unturned."

"I'm sorry," said the Continental Governor, "but I have no information on your father, except for the fact that he was reported killed on October 1, 0002."

Tifa lowered her head in sadness. It was certainly not the answer that she had been hoping for.

"It's time to close up," the Continental Governor suddenly announced.

"I'm not finished," Tifa protested.

"No need to worry," assured the Continental Governor as she stood up and pointed her entire left hand toward her office door. "I'll call for you again this week."

Unable to anything about the impasse, and wanting to avoid being arrested, Tifa duly made her way to the door.

"And Miss Lockheart?" called the Continental Governor.

Tifa made eye contact with her, but did not verbally answer.

"Don't ever come into my office dressed like that again."

Tifa left the office, closing the door behind her.

Without further ado, the Continental Governor sat down at her desk and began to log out of her laptop. It was already a long day, but her interrogation with that girl had made it seem twice as long.

And then, a shadow covered her face.

The Continental Governor looked up at the figure bearing down on her. He was well-built and muscular. He had blue, spikey hair. He stood about six foot seven. There was evidence of mako in his eyes.

"You heard," said the Continental Governor.

"I did," replied Karnak. "And you let her go?"

"If I kept her here too long she'd get suspicious," the Continental Governor replied as she stood up and poured herself a glass of wine.

"She can't find out her father is still alive," Karnak protested.

"It seems to me she already has, Victor," the Continental Governor said as she pour a glass of wine for Karnak. "She's begun the search. It seems she's even resorted to the supernatural."

"She can't find him then," Karnak insisted. "You know what she'll discover right along with him. We'll lose millions."

"I won't let that happen," she assured him. "This is an important investment of ours. Nothing will get in its way as long as I'm in power."

"I know this girl; I trained with her in Xing when she was sixteen," Karnak informed her.

"I heard," she said. "As I recall, you were both quite mistaken about your origins, and all hell broke loose."

Karnak closed his eyes. It was a memory even he preferred not to have.

I'll take care of her," he offered. "Leave her to me."

"No," the Continental Governor dismissed. "She'll give up. I'm sure of it."

THE STUFF THAT MIGHT HAVE GONE UNNOTICED...

Premonitions II begins five hours after the original Premonitions ends.

The places worse than jail that Tifa has slept in include, but are not limited to: Mount Nibel, the Shinra Building's holding cell, the Forgotten Capital, the snowy fields north of Icicle Inn, the Junon holding cell, and the Mideel Clinic.


	2. A Cautious Reunion

Premonitions II: Crisis Core

Chapter 2: A Cautious Reunion

January 28, 0008

5:00 p.m.

Tifa exited the building dejected. She had not found anything she had been hoping for; she had anticipated at least a lead. Instead, the Continental Governor had seemed nearly as secretive as a Shinra executive would have. The Shinra might be gone, but that did not mean there would not be successors. It certainly did not mean that people would never be corrupt or selfish again.

_Power is as power does,_ she thought. _I'm sorry papa. I really am. Maybe there's another way?_

Tifa then looked up, and noticed something. A woman was standing across the street from her, wearing jeans and a gray baby shirt. She seemed somewhat familiar, but Tifa could not figure out from where. So much had happened.

The woman suddenly turned to Tifa, and made eye-contact with her.

And then, Tifa recognized whom the woman was.

"Elena?!" exclaimed Tifa.

She was indeed hard to recognize without her blue suit and tie.

"Tifa?!" Elena replied.

Tifa instinctively took a step back, and rolled her fists. They were, as far as she could tell, still enemies.

Elena, however, calmly remained in her position.

"It's okay," she assured her. "No need to run. We're not enemies anymore; I'm out of a job."

_She does have a point,_ Tifa thought. _Shinra's no more. She has no reason to attack me. Still, she happens to be in Nibelheim. She shouldn't have any reason to come all the way down her other than to cause us trouble._

"What are you doing here?" Tifa asked, attempting at her best to not sound too confrontational.

"I live here now," Elena replied.

_In Nibelheim?!_ Tifa thought. _We're neighbors?! _

"You live here now?" she asked aloud.

"We all live here," Elena explained as she began to point to houses. "Rude lives in this house, Reno lives in the one next to it."

_All the Turks live here? This either can't be true or it can't be good. Why would they want to live here? They know it's where Cloud and I are from!_

"What made you come here?" Tifa asked. This was concerning.

"When the Shinra collapsed," Elena replied, "all the Turks were naturally laid off, and all the actors playing townspeople quit. Realtors didn't want the houses to crumble, so they sold them to those who couldn't afford anything else. Namely, us."

Tifa wanted to believe that, but there was still something that just did not seem right. This was the first she had heard of this, and she had been living here for weeks.

"If you live here," Tifa began suspiciously, "how come I haven't seen you until now?"

"It's a long story," Elena replied. "Tseng and I have been out of town. It was...interesting."

"Costa del Luna?" Tifa asked slyly, referring to the nude beach the Elena and Tseng had visited earlier. Cloud and Tifa had gone on a diving expedition, and, afterward, accidentally surfaced at Costa del Luna, and, even more accidentally, spotted Tseng and Elena on the beach, naked as the day they were born. Of course, Cloud and Tifa kept the swimsuits on, and quickly fled the scene.

"Close enough," Elena blushed.

Tifa was able to feel relieved; it was obvious then that Elena had no desire to kill her.

"So you actually did it," Elena continued. "You took care of Sephiroth and saved us all. Thank you."

"No worries," Tifa replied. When it came to Sephiroth, Tifa and Elena had always been on the same side.

The two remained silent for a few moments before the ring on Tifa's finger was spotted.

"Oh my God!" Elena shouted. "You're engaged!"

"I am!" Tifa happily replied. "I got engaged two days ago."

"Is the lucky guy who I think it is?" Elena asked.

"It's Cloud," Tifa replied. "That's who you were thinking, right?"

"Of course!" Elena replied.

"Is that why you went to see the Continental Governor?" Elena asked.

"That also," Tifa replied. "There were other things, but she shooed me out just now. She had a problem with how I dress."

"Bismark's a little on the conservative side," Elena pointed out. "Did she still agree to do your wedding?"

"Do my wedding?" Tifa asked, perplexed.

"All weddings on the Western Continent are officiated by the Continental Governor."

"I didn't know that," Tifa said. "She registered it, so I guess that was an obvious yes. But I didn't know she would be officiating it. I'll be wearing my wedding dress, so I suppose she won't be bothering me about my attire then." She then looked down. She could see her bare midriff, flaunted for all to see. Today was seemingly the first time she had offended someone with it. "I wonder if I do wear too little."

"Well..." Elena began, but stopped herself. She did not want to upset her frenemy.

"What?" asked Tifa. It seemed that the Continental Governor was not the only person who objected to Tifa's ever-exposed belly button.

"It's nothing," Elena replied. "Never mind."

"Go ahead," Tifa pleaded. "It's okay. I'm probably the hardest person in the world to offend."

"You don't want to dress like that when you're married," Elena pointed out.

_She does have a point, Tifa thought. I'm marrying Cloud in less than a week. I shouldn't really be showing my body off for other men like that. Hell, no other girl I know, married or not, shows off that much skin. At least not anyone past twenty._

"I think you're right," Tifa said aloud. "I probably should dress a little more modestly."

"You know, they just opened a clothes shop next to the diner," Elena pointed out. She then smiled. "Come on. I'll take you."

Unknown to them, Karnak exited the Continental Governor's office.

5:30 p.m.

Tifa stood in the fitting room with a pair of jeans and a blue tee shirt in her arms. Elena had picked them out; she said they would cover a lot more skin, but still make her look good.

"Well," said Elena, who was standing across from her, "try them on!"

Tifa was silent.

_She's going to watch me change?!_ she thought.

Then, Tifa remembered how she worked at a similar clothes shop when she was fourteen. Every now and then, she would see two people enter the fitting room together. Most of the time, it was a couple, who gave her somewhat of a sheepish look as they entered and exited. Less frequently, she did see two girl friends go in together, each with their own clothes to change into. She even saw mothers and daughters go in together once or twice.

Two weeks before Tifa had ran away to Cloud's house, she overhead her mother talking to her father about how the former shared a fitting room with her aunt Kara, and that how the said aunt was changing her pants and had forgotten she had gone commando that day.

She realized it was quite common for two women to share a fitting room, but she was still Tifa; she was still very private when it came to what her clothes concealed.

"I got this," Tifa said, attempting to ask Elena, as politely as possible, to step outside.

"Huh?" Elena asked.

"I'm sorry," Tifa apologized. "I'm a little different. I'm not really comfortable changing in front of anyone."

"The last time you saw me before the sewer, I had no clothes on!" Elena reminded her.

"It's just a thing about me," Tifa said. "I'm a very modest girl. Nobody's ever seen me naked, topless, or even in my underwear but me behind closed doors."

"Not even Cloud?" asked Elena.

"Not even Cloud," Tifa replied.

"I don't mean to sound too personal," Elena began, "but aren't you and Cloud having sex by this point?"

Tifa shook her head.

"We're waiting until we're married," she said.

"For religious reasons?" Elena asked. "If you don't mind me asking."

Tifa shook her head again.

"My mom was killed in a car crash when I was a kid," Tifa explained. "It was something I promised her, literally moments before that happened. My dad had just cheated on her, and she didn't want to see me get used by anyone."

"I'm so sorry," Elena said. "I had no idea."

"But I think my dad's alive," Tifa continued.

"He survived the Nibel Reactor?" Elena asked.

"I think so," Tifa answered. "After we escaped from the gas chamber, I found Cloud, and we ended up falling into the Lifestream. We saw a lot of people we knew who had died, but my dad wasn't there. My mom was, Cloud's mom was, Biggs was, and so was Wedge. Even President Shinra appeared briefly."

"Why him?" Elena asked.

"Because he was...never mind," Tifa replied. "The important thing is that my father wasn't there when he should've been."

"Well," Elena said, "no worries. I'll step out."

"I won't be long," Tifa promised.

Elena duly stepped out as the curtain closed. She quickly made her way to the counter.

"This is on me," she whispered to the clerk.

A moment later, Tifa emerged from the dressing room.

"Let me see!" Elena exclaimed as she ran over to her and scanned her outfit. "Perfect!" she shouted.

"I like it," Tifa admitted.

"No worries, by the way," Elena said. "I covered it."

Tifa gasped in surprise. "Elena! You didn't have to!"

"I wanted to," Elena insisted. "I really want you to know that I'm not your enemy."

"Oh, Elena, I know," Tifa said.

A few moments later, they were outdoors again.

"So when did you two fall in love?" Elena inquired.

"Forever ago," Tifa replied. "But we didn't admit it until recently."

FLASHBACK...

"Tifa," began Cloud. "There's one more thing I need to ask you."

"What's that?" Tifa asked.

"Can you come here, please?" he requested.

She obliged and walked back to him.

"What's wrong, Cloud?" she asked upon reaching her friend.

"I remember everything," he said. "From when I was in the clinic."

"How much?" Tifa asked. This did not seem like much of a question.

"Everything," Cloud repeated. "Like when the ground shook and pieces of the ceiling fell."

"That was kind of scary," she said.

"And then," he continued, "you threw your whole body over me."

Tifa blushed slightly.

"Why?" he asked.

"I didn't want you getting hurt," she replied.

"You got hurt," he pointed out.

"It was worth it," she said.

Cloud gave her a skeptical look. He still didn't seem satisfied.

_Worth it, sure. But why?_

"There's more, isn't there?" Tifa asked. She could read it by the look on his face.

Cloud nodded.

She felt her heart beat faster. There was only one thing left to talk about. He was onto her, and she knew it.

"What were you trying to tell me on the gondola?" he asked.

She knew it. He would eventually ask her. But she did not prepare for it.

"Can this wait until tomorrow?" Tifa sheepishly requested. "We both need our rest."

Cloud shook his head. "I think this is something that has to be said. Barret wouldn't take falling debris for me. Yuffie wouldn't help me search for myself. And even noble Red XIII wouldn't make sure I was okay when I was grieving. But you would. Why?"

"Oh, Cloud," Tifa said as she looked away. Her mouth began to dry, and her palms were sweaty. Her breathing began to accelerate slightly.

"Tifa," he began.

"I don't think you even want to hear it," she said, still avoiding eye contact.

"I do," Cloud insisted.

"I really shouldn't say it," Tifa said. "You might not want to be around me if I do."

"If you don't say it," Cloud finally said, "it won't change the fact that you feel it. It won't make it any less true."

Her heart was racing at this point. There was no way out of this. He would not let her go for the night until she said it.

Defeated, Tifa made eye contact with Cloud as best as she could. Her eyes were moist as she began to speak.

"Like I said, Cloud, being old friends is hard." Her whole body began to tremble.

He nodded. He realized he was beginning to tremble himself from anticipation.

"Cloud, I..." she continued to struggle, just like that other time.

"I..."

Cloud gazed into her eyes. He could almost hear her heart pound.

Or perhaps it was his own heart.

"I love you," she whispered.

And then, she immediately turned away.

Cloud looked at Tifa, still taking in what she had just said. He could no longer hear her speaking, and he could tell, by the movements of her head, that she was starting to cry.

"I'm sorry," she sobbed. "I know I shouldn't have said that."

Cloud opened his mouth. He wanted to reply. But he knew he had to reply the right way.

"I'll leave now," she continued sadly. "And if you don't want to talk to me anymore, I'll understand."

She began to walk away.

He knew he had to say something before she left. There was no time to think carefully, so he said the first thing that came to mind.

"STOP!" he shouted.

And Tifa stopped. She did not move further away. But she did not turn to face him.

So Cloud approached her turned her around himself.

Her head was down, and the tears were still running down her beautiful face.

Gently, he placed his right index finger under her chin, and softly lifted her face up, until their eyes made contact.

"Tifa," he began.

She did not respond. She had no idea how to.

"Look at me," he commanded. "Don't ever tell me you're sorry for saying that."

She still did not say anything. She noticed her heart was still racing. He would say anything at this point.

"You said what came from your heart," he continued as he brushed away her tears. "And I have to say what comes from my heart, too." He took a breath. "I love you, Tifa. I love you."

And, before she could say anything, he pressed his lips against hers.

Tifa was in disbelief. He was kissing her. She had expected him to run away and never return. But, instead, he was kissing her. And he was wrapping his arms around her.

She began to kiss back. The feeling of his warm lips against hers was one of the most welcoming feelings she had ever felt. She raised her arms and ran her fingers through his spiky hair as she continued to kiss him.

She then broke the kiss, and looked him sincerely in the eyes.

"Oh, how long I've wanted to kiss you!" she said.

She then kissed him again. More tears came from her eyes. But now they were tears of joy. She broke the kiss, and looked at him again.

"Is this real?" she asked.

He then pinched her shoulder.

"Ow!" she exclaimed.

"Of course it's real!" Cloud exclaimed.

She giggled for a moment and buried her head into his shoulder and started crying tears of joy and bliss.

Cloud gently wrapped his arms around her and held her against him, beginning to shed a few happy tears himself.

"Does this make up for all the hugs I wouldn't give you?" he asked.

Tifa giggled through her tears.

"And then some," she replied.

"Now you can have all the hugs from me you want."

In response, Tifa looked up and pressed her lips against Cloud's.

"I'd rather just kiss you over and over," she sobbed.

She then began to plant kisses all over his face.

They continued to hug and kiss for the longest time. She was still taking it in. So was he. They had finally admitted their love for each other. After all that time, they finally did it. Even the timeline probably did not see it coming.

Eventually, one of them saw a digital clock out of the corner of her eye.

"It's three in the morning!" Tifa announced.

"Sorry," Cloud apologized. "I lost track of the time."

"I think we both did, didn't we?" she laughed.

"I suppose we should call it a night," he replied. "We'll have plenty of time together. That's one positive about this new timeline."

Tifa smiled as she released him.

Cloud began to walk back to his cabin. This time, he was smiling. And he rarely smiled.

He had only taken a few steps out the door when he felt something. It was a female hand grasping his.

He looked to his right to see Tifa standing next to him, smiling as he was.

"We don't have to rush back that fast, do we?" she said.

Cloud nodded.

They spent the next few minutes walking back slowly, their hands clasped the entire time.

They arrived at Tifa's cabin first. They finally broke hands as Cloud turned to face her.

"I have one more question," he said.

"Go ahead," she replied. "I don't think I'll have any trouble answering this one."

"It is a big one," he warned.

"I'll take it," she assured. "Ask away."

Cloud smiled briefly, and then gave her a sincere look.

"Tifa, will you be my girlfriend?"

Her smile greatly widened.

"Yes!" she replied enthusiastically as she threw her arms around his shoulders, kissing him once more. It felt good to be official.

Cloud was in paradise. The taste of Tifa's mouth was sweet. Her lips were warm and soft against his; It was a feeling he had never expected to feel. This was no longer simply an old friend. This was his girlfriend.

Finally, their lips parted, and they spent a brief interval gazing into each other's eyes.

"It looks like at least one good thing came out of this changed history," Cloud said.

Tifa smiled. She kissed him again once more before they parted for the night.

…..END FLASHBACK

"That's amazing," Elena said. "So you dated for a bit. When did you start talking about getting married?"

"Date number four," Tifa laughed.

"Date number four?!" Elena exclaimed.

"Well, Tifa said, "it kind of ran away with itself. It started out with a fight we had when we were kids."

"A fight?" Elena asked.

Tifa nodded.

"At the school dance," she clarified.

FLASHBACK...

"So Cloud," began Johnny, in a whisper so soft that even Tifa could not hear, "you going to dance with Tifa?"

"No way!" Cloud replied.

"Why not?" Johnny asked. "Her mom died this year, and her dad wouldn't let her have a birthday party. If you dance with her, she'll like it."

"I don't dance with anyone," Cloud answered. "It's not my thing."

"It's just a friendly dance," Johnny replied. "It's not like you have to marry who you dance with!"

Just then, Mrs. Miln interrupted everything.

"Don't forget that the dance is this Friday," she said.

Everyone cheered.

"And boys," she continued, "if the girls ask you to dance, just dance with them. They'll be very hurt if you say no, as I'm sure you'll be very hurt if they say no. Please. You don't have to marry who you dance with."

"Told you!" Johnny whispered.

LATER, AT THE DANCE...

"Cloud!" greeted Tifa. "Wanna dance?"

She was his best friend, and he did not want to let her down. They had been through everything that year. But she was still a girl.

"Th-that's okay," Cloud replied as he shook his head.

"Come on!" she pleaded as she gently grabbed his arm.

"I-I don't dance with girls," Cloud said as he began to sweat. "I just don't."

Tifa's smile faded as she folded her arms. "Seriously, Cloud?"

"I'm sorry," he apologized.

"We're just friends!" she protested. "Everyone's doing it! I even saw Mrs. Miln dancing with Mr. Tarin!"

Cloud, unable to say anything more, ran to the opposite corner of the gym.

Tifa was left to stand there alone amidst the slow dancers, beyond humiliated. Anyone could understand how she felt.

...END FLASHBACK

"Boys will be boys," Elena said.

"It plays right into the best part," Tifa insisted. "It kind of shaped our fourth date."

FLASHBACK...

Cloud and Tifa gently released each other from their embrace. The loud music had began again, and Tifa signaled for him to follow her into the quieter room next door. It was a small room, with a large window for the viewing pleasure of the park. The noise could still be heard from the dance, but it no longer drowned out anyone's voice.

"There, Cloud," Tifa began as she affectionally placed her hand on his shoulder. "You danced with a girl and nothing bad happened!"

"Huh?" asked Cloud. "Oh yeah," he remembered aloud. "I think I've come a long way with that."

"So you're okay dancing with girls now?" she playfully asked.

"Of course," Cloud replied with a smile.

"Even the one in front of you right now?"

"Especially the one in front of me," he replied as he wrapped his arms around her waist.

The two of them shared a kiss.

"So Mrs. Miln was right," she added.

"Mrs. Miln?" asked Cloud, perplexed.

"Don't you remember what she said?" Tifa laughed. "You don't have to marry who you dance with."

"That's right," he said. "Along with Mr. Tarin and even Johnny."

"Johnny said that?" Tifa asked.

"It was a rare mature moment," he said.

And then, Cloud's smile suddenly faded from his face, and he became silent.

"Don't be embarrassed!" Tifa playfully commanded.

But Cloud remained silent. He seemed almost nervous, as if he wanted to say something, but he was not sure he should.

"What's wrong?" asked Tifa.

He hesitated for a moment. Then he spoke.

"What if I want to?" Cloud asked.

Tifa's smile faded from her face. Her mouth went dry. She began to shake, but not in a bad way. She could not even describe how she was feeling. She was having a hard time believing what he had just said.

"W-what did you say?" she managed to stammer out. She needed to be sure her ears were not playing tricks on her.

"What if I want to marry the girl I just danced with?" Cloud repeated. He was looking at her straight in the eyes, and his heart was beating to the point that even Tifa could swear she heard him.

Tifa's heart was beginning to accelerate as well. Her ears were not playing tricks. She heard what she heard.

"Do you?" she cautiously asked. She was happy enough that he had admitted that he loved her. But this was something she did not see coming at all.

"Yes," Cloud replied. "I would. She's the girl I want to spend the rest of my life with."

"Really?" she asked as she placed her hands on her chest in surprise. He did say it. He just said he would like to marry her.

"Yes."

"Cloud..."

_Was this really happening?_ Of course, she wanted to marry the man she just danced with. And she almost failed to even tell him how she felt. There were certainly no regrets at this point.

"Oh my God, Cloud..."

She wanted to finish. But there was nothing she could think of.

Instead, she threw her arms around him and hugged him tightly. She then pulled back, and gently stroked his hair.

"We know everything about each other," Cloud continued.

"And we know what life was like if we didn't get married," Tifa added. "We lived it first-hand. I didn't like that life."

"Neither did I," Cloud added. "I spent it longing for you."

Tifa took a deep breath. What just happened was a lot to take in.

"So," she asked with a smile, "what does that leave us as?"

"We're still boyfriend and girlfriend," he clarified. "But now we've talked about it."

Tifa understood. She knew he wanted to do things the old-fashioned way.

"When should we tell everyone?" she asked.

"I'll formally propose to you after we take out Sephiroth again," Cloud said. "And then..."

"We'll get married," Tifa interjected, smiling as she clutched Cloud's hands in hers. Her eyes were threatening to tear.

"Right," Cloud laughed. "We will. And then..."

Tifa interjected again. "We'll make love."

He paused. "I was going to say knock the walls down in our old houses so they'd be one."

She giggled. "Cloud, that's a great idea!" She then gave him a serious look. "I know I seem like a prude with it, but I do think about us making love. A lot."

Cloud blushed slightly. Of course, he was with Tifa because he loved her for whom she was, not to mention that the fact that they grew up together made him feel at home with her. But every now and then he was beginning to wonder how loud she would be, or what her butt looked like.

"Cloud, you make me feel like the luckiest woman in the world," Tifa continued. "And I'll love you for the rest of my life!"

And as they kissed, a series of fireworks exploded outside.

...END FLASHBACK

"How did he propose?" Elena asked.

"He didn't," Tifa replied with a smile. "I did."

"You did?!" Elena exclaimed. "I've never heard of a girl proposing to a guy."

"I'm not just anybody," Tifa said. "I really threw him off, too. I told him I could never be his girlfriend again. Of course, he thought I was leaving him, but I proposed before he got too upset with it."

"Did you get down on one knee?" Elena asked.

"Yes," Tifa replied while smiling and nodding.

FLASHBACK...

Cloud reached the bottom of the steps, finding himself in the parlor once more. He scanned the room one more time. _Where is she?_ he thought. _She isn't here! She told me to come over, but she isn't here!_

And then, he noticed. A thumb drive was sitting on the coffee table. Attached was a sticky note that read: "Play me."

_She wants me to play a thumb drive?_ he thought as he picked it up and inserted it into the television. He then stepped back, remaining standing, and wondering what the video would say.

At first, the video did not seem to contain anything; it was simply pitch black. Then, a soft, lyrical piano melody began to play. Seconds later, the screen faded in. Tifa was standing in front of the southern entrance. She was wearing a beautiful purple dress. It covered her shoulders but not her knees. She did not have a stern look on her face as he might have expected; she was smiling. She was holding a sign that read: "DEAR CLOUD."

The shot lasted for about five seconds before fading to the master bedroom that he had just been in. Tifa was standing in front of one of the twin beds, holding a sign that read: "WE MET."

He still remembered that room. He still remembered Claire saying "Cloud, look at the little baby." He still remembered how bald she was, with only a few strings of raven hair on her infant head. It was his very first memory of Tifa. He suddenly felt a wave of warmth and fondness inside.

A few seconds later, the screen faded again, this time to the parlor he was now standing in. Tifa was standing in front of the television, this time holding a sign that read: "WE PLAYED."

Tifa had really been the only person he had played with when he was little. They would play for hours on that floor, and Cloud would always find it amusing that Tifa had an endless collection of action figures, yet only one or two dolls that most girls her age had played with.

The screen faded once more. Tifa was now standing in front of the swing set that had played on as children. Her sign read: "I TAUGHT YOU TO FUCKING SWEAR."

Cloud chuckled. One thing he would never tell anyone was that he had been taught to swear by a girl a year his junior, but that was the way it was. He still remembered her teaching him profanities that he previously couldn't imagine, all while they were both innocently sitting on swings like normal children.

The screen faded to Tifa standing in the bowling alley. Most of the lights were off, but the lanes were still visible. The sign read: "WE BOWLED."

Cloud would never forget that day. Her father had cut them off, and he was quite surprised to be spending her thirteenth birthday with her. He was even more surprised that she had been wearing a crop top. He had never seen her midriff before, and it was around that time that he had first became interested in her. He then realized he needed to immediately banish that from his mind. They were just friends.

Next, the screen faded to the well. He knew that would eventually come up. The sign that Tifa was holding read: "WE MADE OUR PROMISE."

He would never forget that promise. He had promised that he would be there if she needed him, and he was there during the Nibelheim mission five years ago. She was forever grateful.

The screen now faded to what was left of Mideel. Tifa was standing in front of the mako pit, with a sign reading: "WE FIXED YOUR SOUL."

That, as far as Cloud was concerned, Tifa's magnum opus. Cloud had been a broken man, even before they had reunited in Mideel. Here, she had guided him through his subconsciousness, putting him back together again. They were both given an unexpected reward: full disclosure about the future.

And then, Cloud realized what he felt Tifa had been trying to tell him: their friendship was valuable. In fact, it was the most valuable thing that either of them had. These were things they had all done as friends, not lovers. Without their friendship, Cloud's mind would still be in pieces. Without their friendship, Tifa might have died at the Nibel reactor. Had it not been for their friendship, they both might have had a rather boring childhood.

_So what if our romantic relationship didn't work out? _Cloud thought. _It was our friendship that kept us going. It's our friendship that really matters._

Seconds later, that notion was ruined.

The screen faded again. Tifa was now standing on the bridge of the Highwind. This time, the sign was something he really did not want to see. Instead of making him feel good about their friendship, it reopened old wounds. It read: "WE ADMITTED OUR LOVE FOR EACH OTHER."

_Did she really need to bring that up?_ he thought.

The screen again faded. She was standing in front of the Out of the World Book Barn in Rocket Town. The sign read: "WE HAD OUR FIRST DATE."

_Why is she doing this?_ Cloud wondered. _We agreed to be friends!_

When the screen faded again, she was now at Gold Saucer, holding a sign that read: "WE HAD OUR SECOND DATE."

_Is she mad at me? Is this because I had left her?_

She was now on the beach at Costa del Sol. Instead of the dress, she was wearing her trademark blue bikini. The sign read: "WE HAD OUR THIRD DATE."

Cloud almost wanted to close his eyes; it felt like torture.

She was now at the ballroom, wearing the purple dress again. The sign read: "WE HAD OUR FOURTH DATE."

Cloud, at this point, was feeling the urge to simply walk out; it was almost too much to bear.

But something inside him was telling him to stay and watch the whole thing. Perhaps he would get full disclosure from it.

And then, the screen faded to black. Tifa no longer appeared on the screen, but the music was still there. White subtitles in a large font began to appear against the black background.

"YOU WERE A WONDERFUL BOYFRIEND," the first one read.

_Were,_ Cloud thought to himself. _ In the past tense._

The first subtitle faded, and a second one appeared: "BUT I CAN NEVER ASK YOU TO BE THAT AGAIN."

Cloud lowered his head in sadness. _Why, Tifa? Why?_

"LIKE I SAID YESTERDAY, CLOUD, LIFE IS JUST TOO SHORT," read the third subtitle, almost as if it could read his mind.

_She called me over for this?_ he thought. _It's nothing I don't already know. __She couldn't even do this in person? She had to make a video?!_

And then, the screen changed once again.

"SO, INSTEAD, I'LL ASK YOU SOMETHING ELSE."

Cloud gasped.

_Something else?_

His heart began to accelerate. His palms began to feel sweaty. She was already his friend. She had been his girlfriend. He was well aware that, if she could never be his girlfriend again, there was only one "something else" she could possibly ask him to be.

_That's why she can't be my girlfriend anymore?_ he thought. _Because she wants to...?!_

He then felt a presence next to him.

He turned, and Tifa was standing there, in the flesh, still in the purple dress she had been wearing in the video. Her hands were together, as if she was concealing something. He had trouble figuring out what emotion was in her eyes; it seemed to be somewhere between nervous and hopeful.

_Women don't do this!_ he thought to himself.

And then, out of the corner of his eye, Cloud saw the screen change one last time.

"MARRY ME?"

A second later, Tifa lowered herself to one knee, and removed her hands, revealing a ring box. She opened it, revealing a beautiful diamond ring inside. She then made eye contact with Cloud. It was the most hopeful look he had ever seen her give him.

He could not believe his eyes. This woman, whom he grew up with, who had been with him through his worst times, was proposing to him.

He immediately had an answer.

"Yes," he mouthed.

Before she could respond, he bent down, placed his hand on the back of her head, and kissed her softly.

"Yes?" she asked hopefully as she rose to her feet. She had heard him, but she had to be sure her mind was not playing any kinds of tricks.

"Yes," he repeated.

A beautiful smile graced Tifa's face as her eyes glistened.

"He said yes!" she shouted.

And then, tears began to stream from both of her eyes.

"My love!" she sobbed as she threw her arms around him.

They then made eye contact.

Cloud's eyes were streaming tears as well.

...END FLASHBACK

"Did he cry?"

"His eyes got wet," Tifa answered. "I knew him all my life, but that was the happiest I've ever seen him."

"How far apart are you guys, anyway?" Elena asked.

"Seven months," Tifa replied.

"Who's older?"

"He is," Tifa answered.

"Tseng and I are a little further apart," Elena said. "He's forty, I'm twenty-one."

"The same age as Cloud," Tifa pointed out.

"Wait a minute," Elena said. "You're only twenty?"

"That's right," Tifa replied.

"And you're getting married?"

"I know I look only twenty, and physically I am, but my memories are closer to thirty."

"Closer to thirty?" asked the perplexed Elena.

"Have you been getting premonitions lately?" Tifa asked.

"I have," Elena replied.

"It's because of that crazy girl who destroyed Junon," Tifa informed her.

"You mean that girl in the red dress who was impersonating Heidegger and Scarlet's love child?" Elena asked.

"That's the thing," Tifa replied. "She wasn't impersonating Bestla; she actually was Bestla. She came back from the year 0016. When Cloud and I fell into the Lifestream, we regained our memories from the future."

"But Bestla was killed by falling debris," Elena objected. "How could she be alive in the future?"

"She wasn't originally supposed to die," Tifa answered. "But when the 0016 Bestla arrived here, it affected everyone and everything she touched, or even went anywhere near. This included the 0008 Bestla. The 0016 Bestla unintentionally killed her younger self."

"So what are you saying this is?" asked Elena.

"The best way to describe it would be an alternate reality," Tifa replied. "Whatever might have happened after Holy moved no longer matters. Everything beyond that has been changed."

"Wow," said Elena. "Did Tseng and I get together in the original timeline?"

Tifa shook her head.

"He never found the phase materia. Sephiroth actually stabbed him."

Elena gave Tifa a troubled look.

"He didn't die, though," Tifa quickly added.

"But we never ended up together," Elena said sadly.

And then, Tifa said something that she had never expected herself to say.

"We're all getting together tonight to celebrate our engagement," she announced. "Care to join us?"

Neither woman realized that Karnak was watching them.

THE STUFF THAT MIGHT HAVE GONE UNNOTICED...

This is the first appearance of Elena since the confrontation in the sewers about two third thirds of the way through Premonitions; she is not seen again for the rest of the story.


	3. An Easy Reunion

Premonitions II: Crisis Core

Chapter 3: An Easy Reunion

Monday, January 28, 0008

6:00 p.m.

Tifa entered the house. It was quiet inside, and the tranquil atmosphere helped her put her frustration with the Continental Governor aside for the time being. Still, she could not believe she did what she had done; she had just invited Elena to a party. She appreciated her buying her a new outfit, but she was still less than a hundred percent sure of her intentions. She also wondered what others would think of the situation.

She went straight to the parlor and scanned the room. And then, she saw what she had been waiting to see: there he was; Cloud was fast asleep on the couch. Tifa immediately felt a wave of happiness. They had only been apart for a few hours, but she had missed him just the same. After all they had been through, they were finally together for good.

Tifa walked over to the couch and lowered herself to her knees. He seemed as if, after all he had been through, that he was fully at peace with everything about his life. She could stare at her sleeping fiancé all day. If it had not been culturally unacceptable to say so, she would say he was beautiful.

And then, his eyes slowly opened.

"Hey, sleepyhead!" she whispered as she gently stroked his face and kissed him.

"Hey," he replied groggily. He then briefly scanned her body. "You changed?"

Tifa was briefly perplexed by what he had meant; she had almost forgotten that she had switched out he wardrobe.

"Oh," she replied. "I was just thinking. Now that we're getting married, I figured I really shouldn't be showing as much skin anymore. I'd rather save it for you."

He found it surprising; Tifa usually never made any changes for anyone.

"It looks great on you," he complimented.

"Thanks!" said Tifa happily as she kissed him again and sat down next to him. She began to gently stroke his back with her fingertips.

"You've been out all this time?" he asked.

Tifa nodded.

"You'll never guess who I saw," she announced.

"Cid?" Cloud half-guessed.

"Elena, actually," she answered.

"Elena?!" he exclaimed in surprise. "What was she doing here?"

"I was asking myself the same question," Tifa replied. "It looks like she lives here now."

"She didn't...try anything funny, did she?" Cloud asked out of concern.

Tifa quickly shook her head.

"Not at all," she replied. She then looked at the ceiling. She realized that she might as well tell him. "She bought me this outfit."

"She bought that for you?" he asked in surprise.

Tifa nodded.

"That doesn't sound like something she'd do," he said skeptically.

"That's what I thought," she agreed. "Personally, I think she's just trying to bury the hatchet."

She did not tell him she had visited the Continental Governor; he had specifically advised her against it the previous Friday. Instead, she decided to jump towards the events of that night.

"You know what's funny?" Tifa began.

"What's that?"

"The last time we saw everyone, we were saying our final goodbyes," she answered. "We all thought we were going to die."

"That's right," Cloud said. "It was kind of depressing."

"I wonder what everyone did that night," Tifa said. "Thinking it was their end."

"We might find out tonight," Cloud suggested.

"I think something like this will make them all feel alive," she said.

Cloud smiled at her.

"Well, what can make you feel alive?" he asked.

"I could use a hug," Tifa requested.

Cloud stood up, lifted Tifa to her feet, and hugged her. He then pressed his lips against hers.

"There is something I need to tell you," she began, as she presented a guilty look on her face.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"I invited Elena and Tseng," she announced. "For tonight."

Cloud was silent. He was really not okay with this; they had tried to kill them. Still, they had worked together in Wutai, suggesting that the Turks were, deep down, good people. In any case, he did not feel ready to allow them into his life. Of course, he did not want to be fighting with Tifa, especially when their wedding was less than a week away.

"I'm okay with giving them a chance," he assured her.

It was a chance. It did not mean he was willing to trust them.

MEANWHILE...

8:00 p.m.

By eight in the evening, Cloud and Tifa's backyard was full of old friends they had both thought that they would never see again in the living world. Cid and Shera, being from one town over, were the first to arrive. Barret came second, followed by Red XIII. Jessie arrived fourth, having been staying in Gongana. Next came Reeve and Parker, along with their daughter, Sage. Yuffie then came, and took an extensive look at Tifa's engagement ring, leaving it somewhat ambiguous whether she was happy that they were finally tying the knot, or that she wanted to steal it. Vincent was the last of their friends to arrive; he greeted them, but both Cloud and Tifa could tell that something was on his mind.

And then, Elena and Tseng arrived. Reno and Rude followed behind them.

Cloud was uneasy; he still did not trust Elena, but he knew he had to be the best host he could possibly be. He politely greeted her and Tseng.

"We printed out something for you," Tseng announced.

"Oh, really?" Cloud replied.

Elena handed Tifa a piece of paper.

"What is it?" Cloud asked.

"A honeymoon checklist!" Elena replied.

Tifa took a look at it; it basically had a few yes or no questions.

"Have you found a destination?" Tifa asked aloud.

"Not yet," Cloud replied. "That's kind of hard when you've been all over the world."

"How drunk are you going to be?" Tifa continued. "Not at all; I'm not old enough to drink."

"You can be love-drunk," Elena suggested.

"Have you begin a workout plan?" Tifa asked. She then became skeptical. "Why a workout plan?"

"Well, you want to look good naked, don't you?" Elena replied.

Cloud slightly blushed.

"How much ass do I plan to show on the beach?!" Tifa exclaimed.

"None!" Cloud interjected. "Who shows their ass on the beach?"

"You've seen more of me on the beach!" Elena reminded him, blushing herself.

"Oh yeah," Cloud said.

"I think this is for women," Tifa suggested. "And here, I think they mean how small your bikini bottoms will be."

"I think I'll got for a beer," Cloud announced as he walked off.

Tifa returned her attention back toward Elena, and noticed that Tseng had also vanished.

"I have one pair of bikini bottoms," Tifa continued. "They're a little cheeky, but not too cheeky."

"Good enough for a honeymoon," Elena said. "You'll be showing moderate ass, then."

"But they have my last name on them," Tifa pointed out.

"You'll need new ones," Elena insisted. "It won't be your last name anymore."

"I figured," Tifa agreed. "Since I'll be marrying someone with a different name this time around."

"Wait a minute!" Elena exclaimed in surprise. "You've been married before?"

Tifa nodded.

"And Cloud knows you're divorced?"

"I'm not divorced," Tifa replied. "It's a little more complicated."

"He passed away?!" Elena exclaimed. "Tifa, I'm so sorry!"

"He didn't pass away, either," Tifa said. "I did."

Elena gave Tifa an astounded look.

"How could...oh yeah. The old timeline. You and Cloud didn't end up together there?"

Tifa shook her head. "I married someone else. Later on, I was killed by Bestla. She shot me with the same stuff she turned Junon to dust with. I felt my body go dry, and then I found myself in my old bar, serving drinks, right before Cloud and Barret returned from a mission."

"My God," Elena sighed. "Tifa, you've been through a lot. I'm so sorry."

Tifa shook her head again.

"Don't be," she assured her. "That whole situation gave me a second chance with Cloud. And it gave you a second chance with Tseng."

Elena smiled; she had never thought of it that way.

Meanwhile, past the patio, past the pool, and past the apple trees, Vincent sat alone and silent at the northern edge of the backyard.

MEANWHILE...

6:30 p.m.

"January twenty-eight," Shera muttered. "January twenty-eight."

"What's wrong with January twenty-eight?" Yuffie asked as she sat down next to her. "Did something happen on this date?"

Shera shook her head.

"It's what didn't happen on this date," she sighed.

"What didn't happen?" asked Yuffie.

"I wasn't born."

"That's it?" Yuffie asked.

"I'll be eighteen on the third," Shera continued.

"Of February?" Yuffie inquired. "That's this Sunday. That's not long off at all."

"I know," Shera sighed. "But the wait is killing me."

"The wait for what?"

"Cid," Shera replied. "I have to wait until Sunday before we can take our relationship...to the fullest, if you know what I mean."

"Say no more," Yuffie commanded. She had nearly forgotten that Shera was only seventeen. She was still a minor.

"I know the laws," Shera said.

"What laws?" asked Yuffie.

"If you're underage and your partner is over four years older than you, you can only have sex if your parents are supervising."

"No thank you!" Yuffie groaned as she folded her arms. Then, something dawned on her. "You two didn't...even when you thought we were all going to die and none of the laws mattered?"

"I cried that whole evening," Shera replied. "Cid told me everything barely four hours before it all happened. I didn't have time to put anything together except for the fact that I was going to die before I was eighteen. Now I can't describe how badly I want to jump him!"

"Hey guys," Tifa greeted as she approached them from behind and sat down with them.

"Hey, Tifa," Yuffie replied. "Come join the conversation."

"What were you talking about?" Tifa asked.

"Sex," Yuffie replied.

"Oh," Tifa said, beginning to feel slightly uncomfortable.

"Which reminds me," Yuffie continued, "have you at least done anything naked together?"

"No," Tifa replied uncomfortably. "Our swimsuits have been the most we have seen of each other."

"Oh," Yuffie said. "It's a really good way to bond."

"We will," Tifa assured her. "When we're married."

"You know what you could do," Yuffie continued. "There's always third base. That way you can be intimate without having actual sex."

"No thank you," dismissed the obviously disgusted Tifa. "I wouldn't even do that when we're married. I don't like that. Can we please talk about something else?"

"Are you taking his name?" Shera chimed in, changing the subject.

"Of course I am," Tifa replied, sounding more at ease. "With our without a hyphen. I haven't decided yet."

At that moment, Yuffie noticed Reeve and Cloud talking in the distance.

"Who do you think he'll show up as?" Yuffie asked. "Reeve, or Cait Sith?"

"Reeve," Tifa answered. "I hope."

"Good point," Yuffie agreed. "If he comes as Cait Sith, he won't actually be here."

And Vincent sat alone and silent at the northern edge of the backyard.

MEANWHILE...

"So who are go going as?" asked Cloud. "Cait Sith or Reeve?"

"Reeve," Reeve replied. "I would like to actually be there."

"Good point," Cloud agreed.

"What about the former Turks?" Reeve asked. "Are you inviting them?"

"It looks like it," Cloud replied. "Elena for sure. It looks like she and Tifa are becoming buddy-buddy really fast."

"You don't seem okay with that," Reeve pointed out.

"Well," Cloud said, "she used to be an enemy."

"So was I," Reeve pointed out.

"It's different," Cloud dismissed. "You had a husband and son for them to threaten."

"Elena has a family," Reeve said. "And she needed a job."

"I don't know," Cloud said. "Something just doesn't seem right. Why would Elena be coming on to us so suddenly?"

"Maybe she regrets her past," Reeve suggested. "I can't think of any reason for her to attack you."

"She's out of a job," Cloud replied. "As far as I can tell, so are Tseng, Reno, and Rude. They might not be Shinra anymore, but people do a lot of crazy shit for money." He paused. "I mean, I was blowing up reactors."

"Elena's a good girl," Reeve assured him. "I had access to her file. Except for a few traffic violations, she's completely clean."

Cloud continued to look at her skeptically. If she tried anything funny, he did have a back-up plan.

And Vincent sat alone and silent at the northern edge of the backyard.

MEANWHILE...

Sage was sitting across from Red XIII a few feet away from Cloud and Reeve. She had been amazed when she had first seen the creature, but had never had the chance to sit down and speak with him until now.

"So if you don't mind, can I ask you something?" Sage requested.

"Go ahead," Red XIII replied.

"How long do you live?" she asked.

"Seven hundred years," he replied.

"Wow," said Sage, amazed.

"And when my life comes to an end, my race will," Red XIII added.

"Why do you say that?" asked Sage.

"I am the last of my race," he replied.

"How can you be so sure?" asked the eleven-year-old girl.

"My father was turned into stone," Red XIII answered. "My mother died. I have no brothers or sisters."

"You can't have looked everywhere," Sage objected.

"I was everywhere," he insisted. "I explored the Eastern, Western, and Northern Continents."

"But you weren't looking for a mate, were you?" she pointed out. "A brief trip through the Northern, Western, and Eastern Continents isn't going to prove there aren't any more of you out there. There's still the Southern Continent to search, not to mention all the other planets out there."

"You think I'm an alien?" asked Red XIII.

"Well," she said, "we humans technically are, for sure."

This girl did have a point.

And Vincent sat alone and silent at the northern edge of the backyard.

MEANWHILE...

"So you're saying we're in an alternate timeline, Tseng?" Rude asked. "That's kind of hard to swallow."

"Believe it," Tseng informed them. "That Bestla impersonator was no impersonator. She came back from 0016 using the Chronus Wand and changed the timeline when she destroyed Junon. I don't think we're even supposed to be living here."

"If that's the case," Reno began, "what happened to the older Bestla's associate? That Nara girl who rescued her?"

"And the Chornus Wand she used?" added Rude. "Is that just laying around somewhere?"

"I dunno," Tseng replied. "My guess is that Nara took it and used it to return to her own time."

"And another thing," Rude said. "If the 0008 Bestla was killed by falling debris, how come everything the 0016 Bestla did is still here?"

"That's a good question," Tseng replied. "I think that, because she travelled through time, the 0016 Besta was protected from any paradoxes."

Meanwhile, Reno shifted his attention to another part of the backyard.

"Isn't that Jessica Skurl?" her pointed out, noticing the young woman a few yards away.

"You got it," Tseng replied.

"Isn't she supposed to be dead?" Rude asked.

"That's what I'm talking about," Tseng replied. "There's people who died in this timeline who didn't die in the original, and there's people who died in the original timeline who didn't die here. Like Jessie over there."

Reno sighed.

"This is getting too weird to comprehend," he muttered.

And Vincent sat alone and silent at the northern edge of the backyard.

MEANWHILE...

"Who invited them?" Jessie asked, eying Reno and Rude. She was certainly less than pleased to see them.

"God only knows," Barret replied. "Tseng, probably."

"I may as well set my stopwatch," she sighed as she pulled out her cell phone.

"For what?" he asked.

"I'm curious how long it's going to take for all hell to break loose here," she replied. Much like Cloud, she had trouble trusting them.

"They're harmless," Barret assured her. "What harm can they possibly do, now that the Shinra execs are dead and their bullshit's exposed?"

Jessie sighed.

"Good point," she said.

That was the thing about Jessie. Ever since she had joined Avalanche, Barret was always reassuring her. He was certainly right; Heidegger and Scarlett had been killed in the Prod Clod explosion, Palmer had been hit by a truck, Hojo had been more or less put out of his misery, and Rufus had fallen to his death from an elevator. Reeve, meanwhile, had technically been fired before the company's collapse. There was nobody to command the four of them. They were not even Turks anymore. What Barret said made perfect sense. Of course, everything he said always made sense to her.

And that was also where the problem lay. Soon, Jessie had developed feelings for him. She had visibly flirted with Cloud early on, but she had really bore feelings for Barret at that time. Those feelings had continued, even when she had survived the fall of the Sector Seven Plate, and had been separated from him for weeks. She had been wondering, ever since Sephiroth had been petrified, whether she should tell him. He had been a widower for several years, and perhaps he was ready to give his love life another try.

Jessie knew that there would be obstacles. The first was the fact that he was raising a four-year-old daughter. The second was their age gap; Jessie was twenty-two, while Barret, weirdly while Jessie had been presumed dead, had turned thirty-five. Barret had already been a teenager when Jessie was born.

And then, there was the elephant in the room: the fact that the timeline fought back against changes. Barret's friend Dyne had been saved from committing suicide, only to die from dysentery. Meanwhile, construction activity was taking place where Junon once stood. Jessie wondered if the timeline would reclaim her as well, and, if so, when it would do it. It could happen at any moment. There was even a possibility that she would not live to see Cloud and Tifa's wedding. The whole concept made Jessie tremble inside.

And Vincent sat alone and silent at the northern edge of the backyard.

Behind him, a couple of hundred yards away, Kanark kept hidden with a pair of binoculars.

"It's almost time," he whispered.


	4. Vincent's Blues

Premonitions II: Chapter 4

Monday, January 28, 0008

9:00p.m.

As the party continued, Vincent continued to sit alone in the corner. He looked around the backyard, noticing that everyone seemed to have a bright future. Or even a bright present, for that matter.

Cloud and Tifa would be getting married this Saturday. Reeve already had a husband and daughter. Cid and Shera were together, and he could tell that Barret and Jessie might or might not wind up together as well. That would leave only Red XIII, Yuffie, and himself without anybody. Red XIII, of course, was from another species, and Yuffie was only sixteen; she had a whole life ahead of her.

Unknown to anyone, Vincent was hiding a revolver under all of his garb. His concealed revolver was pointed at his chin, and his finger was on the trigger. Just one little squeeze, and it would all be over. It would not be difficult; he would need to move the trigger only a few millimeters. His life was effectively over; he was more or less dead already. He would not be making much of a difference.

He closed his eyes.

_FLASHBACK..._

May 2, 1978

Suddenly, he was young again. He was standing in the dark room with stone walls, illuminated only by a window. Looking down, he was no longer wearing his heavy garb, but, instead, a blue suit and tie. His hair felt shorter, and the whole atmosphere felt warmer; he could describe it in one word: alive.

Across from him stood a beautiful young woman. The lab coat gave away the fact she was a scientist, but the gray skirt and blue-violet blouse underneath gave away the fact that she was a woman. And her hair...Vincent could not exactly describe her hair, except for the fact that it was long and brown. The name "Dr. L. Crescent" was stitched in cursive on the right side of her lab coat. It was when he first met her.

He was aware that he had been assigned to protect someone, but had been given few further details. All he had known was that she was a twenty-four-year-old scientist. The first thing he realized was the fact that she was beautiful. He had expected to her to be either a skinny bookworm with glasses or an overweight bookworm with glasses and a pig nose. She was neither.

Still, he had to be as confident and as professional as possible.

"Vincent Valentine, reporting for duty, ma'am," he greeted. "I have been assigned your protection."

Lucrecia gasped.

"No," she muttered, as she immediately broke eye-contact. "Why would they...send his..."

"Excuse me?" Vincent asked, somewhat bewildered.

"I apologize," Lucrecia said. "This is the first time I have ever met anyone from the Turks." She then returned her eyes to his. "Lucrecia Crescent. Pleased to make your acquaintance, Mr. Valentine."

She then closed her eyes.

SOMETIME LATER...

July 6, 1978

"Vincent," Lucrecia's gentle voice called him.

He did not respond; he was fast asleep, despite still wearing his suit and sitting laying on the grass.

"Vincent," she repeated, slightly louder.

He still did not rouse; her presence was just so...relaxing.

"Vincent!" she called again, louder than the first two times.

This time, his eyes opened. The first thing he saw were a pair of red heels. He quickly looked up to see the woman they belonged to standing over him.

"Fall asleep here," Lucrecia said, "and you might catch a cold."

Vincent gasped; he could not believe he had fallen asleep on the job.

"Why are you so surprised?" she asked with a smile. "Is my face that hideous?"

"No," he stumbled. "I didn't...I'm sorry."

"And how are you supposed to be my bodyguard if you're up here sleeping?" she asked sternly.

Vincent was about to defend himself, until he noticed that she was concealing something behind her back; she was obviously flirting with him.

"The warm breeze," he began. "I was only going to rest my eyes for a minute."

"Well, I have to admit, the breeze is quite comfortable," Lucrecia pointed out. "However, I think you're in my seat."

"Huh?" asked Vincent, feigning naivety.

Smiling, Lucrecia revealed what she had been concealing; a picnic basket. There was food, and, more importantly, a bottle of champagne.

"Care to join me?" she asked with a smile.

"Of course!" Vincent agreed.

Lucrecia, curiously, did not open the basket; she simply sat and smiled.

Vincent, taking the hint, took her hand and held it in his.

Her smile widened. Then, without warning, she leaned forward and kissed him.

He was somewhat surprised; they had been dating for a while, and had even gone on vacation to Eros Nova together, but they had never displayed affection on the job.

"I'm sorry," Lucrecia apologized. "I just couldn't help it."

"Neither can I," Vincent replied before kissing her again.

"Can we get fired for this?" she asked.

"Do you care?"

"No," she laughed before kissing him again.

After a few more kisses and smiles, they settled down and consumed all of the contents of the picnic basket, with one exception.

"We never opened the champagne," Vincent observed.

"Oh yeah," she agreed. "But it is only one in the afternoon."

"It would be a shame to waste it," he said.

Lucrecia looked at him, and smiled. Something had just popped into her mind.

"I have an idea," she suggested.

"What's that?" Vincent asked.

"Why don't we go on a date tonight?" Lucrecia suggested.

"Let's," Vincent agreed with a smile.

"But a tee shirt and jeans one," she added. "We've been dressed up all day."

"Agreed," he replied.

"And if I have a good time, we can have the champagne." She paused, and took his hand again. "Back at my place."

LATER THAT NIGHT...

"I think it's crazy," Lucrecia said as she finished her champagne.

"What?" asked Vincent, as he simultaneously finished his.

"How fast we clicked," she replied as she placed her glass down.

Sure enough, they had gone on the date, and, sure enough, she had had a good time. They were now back at Lucrecia's apartment, sitting together on her sofa.

"And everyone thinks you're still just my bodyguard," she continued. "Wait until they find out we're dating!"

"Would they allow me to continue as your bodyguard?" Vincent asked.

"Do you know how much a scientist makes here?" Lucrecia asked. "You won't have to continue as my bodyguard. I could take care of you!"

He immediately gave her a look.

"Please," Lucrecia dismissed. "I don't believe in gender roles. Did you know most female animals are larger and stronger than the males anyway?"

She then playfully pushed him, causing him to lay on his back. Grinning, she slowly climbed on top of him, pressing her lips hard against his.

Vincent kissed her back, placing his tongue on hers while passionately running his hands up and down her back. Her jeans were already undone, and a naughty idea popped in his mind. Slowly, he reached his right hand under her jeans and panties. He then placed it on the skin of Lucrecia's buttocks, gently sliding it from side to side.

"Oooh, I like that," she purred.

"How does it feel?" Vincent asked.

"Really good," she whispered.

Their lips, and tongues, met once more.

"There's more where this is coming from," he offered.

"No," she replied. "I just want you to hold me."

Vincent gave her an astounded look.

"Come on, I'm shitting you!" she announced as she ripped off her shirt and struggled to take her bra off.

THE NEXT DAY...

June 7, 1978

After showering together, Vincent and Lucrecia dressed in their work clothes and headed for the Shinra Mansion. Looking back, Vincent had completely forgotten what their mission had been there. But he would never forget what had transpired that day, no matter how hard he tried.

Upon entering the Mansion, Lucrecia paced around the parlor for a few moments before turning to Vincent.

"Can I have five minutes?" she requested.

"For what?" he asked.

In response, she pushed him down on the sofa. She then straddled him, and pressed their lips, and their tongues, together. After a few moments of tongue-kissing, she stopped, and, while catching her breath, unzipped the sides of her skirt, allowing Vincent's hands access to her rear.

"You want it now?" he gasped through the kisses.

"For now, just squeeze my butt," Lucrecia replied as she struggled to breathe. "Someone could be here."

Vincent sighed. He was somewhat disappointed, but he knew that she was right. The moment they heard somebody approaching, they could quickly stop before said person noticed.

The five minutes turned into ten, and then twenty. Finally, after remembering that they had a job to do, Lucrecia stopped the kisses and zipped her skirt back up. She then stood up.

"Sorry," she apologized. "We are at work." She then gently placed her hand on Vincent's cheek. "We'll have some naked time tonight," she assured him. "I promise."

Vincent nodded.

"What are we doing here, anyway?" he asked.

"I'll explain later," she replied. "Right now, just sit tight right here. I have to go to the bathroom."

With that, Lucrecia walked into the foyer and disappeared up the stairs.

Vincent wondered how he had gotten so lucky; this beautiful woman with a six-figure income was crazy about him. She was looking past their differences with the greatest of ease. Waking up to her naked in his arms this morning was quite possibly the most incredible experience he had ever had.

Five minutes went by. Then ten.

Vincent looked into the foyer, and saw no sign of Lucrecia coming down.

"What's taking her so long?" he muttered aloud.

Then fifteen minutes had gone by. Then twenty.

"Something's not right," he said as he stood up. "It's been way to long."

Slowly, he entered the foyer and made his way upstairs. Having been to the Shinra Mansion many times before, he knew the bathroom was upstairs in the east wing. Upon reaching it, he saw the door wide open, with Lucrecia nowhere to be seen.

_Where did she go?_ he thought to himself.

As he turned to search the west wing, he saw something he had never seen before; a good two square yards were missing from the wall. Peering in, Vincent could see a large, cylindrical shaft, with only slanted wooden boards hugging the wall, spiraling downward.

"A secret passage?" he asked aloud.

The next thing that Vincent knew, he was descending the boards, with curiousity pulling him downward, almost as if he was on a leash. He was not sure that Lucrecia was down here, but the simplest explanation was that she was.

"What did curiosity do to that cat?" Vincent asked himself as he reached the bottom.

A tunnel then presented itself. Beyond the tunnel was what Vincent could only describe as an underground laboratory, with books, computers, and equipment that he could not, for the life of himself, figure out their use.

"Who cares?" he answered himself. "Satisfaction brought it back."

He continued to browse the room, and wondered what was so secret about it. He also wondered if he would find what he was really looking for down here.

"Lucrecia?" he called.

There was no answer.

"Hello?" he called again.

There was still no response; perhaps she was not down here after all.

"Anybody here?" he called out once more.

The only response was his own echo.

_She's not down here,_ Vincent thought. _But where else could she be?_

And then, he spotted it. One of the computer monitors was on. It displayed something that immediately caught his attention. It was some sort of biography that was showing. At the top, there was a picture of a man he had recognized, but had not seen since he had been informed that he had died. He also recognized the name quite well: Grimoire Valentine.

"Father?" Vincent asked aloud.

_What the hell is this doing here?_ he wondered.

And then, suddenly, he realized that he was not alone down here after all.

"Who's...?" called a familiar voice.

Vincent turned to find her approaching him with a nervous look on her face.

"Lucrecia," he began, as calmly as he could. "This file."

_What did she know about my father?_ he thought to himself. _And when did she know it?_

"It's...it's none of your business!" Lucrecia quickly replied in a defensive tone of voice.

"But it is," Vincent insisted. "Why didn't you tell me you worked with my father?"

And then, Vincent made the fatal mistake in their relationship. He reached out to grab her arm. He had to know everything.

In response, she smacked him.

He quickly backed to a neutral distance. The sting on his arm lingered.

"Stop it!" Lucrecia snapped. "Just stop it!"

"Lucrecia," Vincent softly pleaded.

And then, tears began to form in her eyes.

"I'm sorry," she apologized.

She then took Vincent's arm, and began to gently rub it.

"It was all my fault," she continued.

She rubbed his arm for a few more moments before taking his hands in hers.

"I didn't mean for your father to die," she sobbed. "I couldn't." And then, Lucrecia burst into tears. "I'm so sorry!"

And then, without warning, she let go of him, and darted away.

Vincent stood there, still taking in what had happened.

_...END FLASHBACK_

Monday, January 28, 0008

9:30 p.m.

And then, Vincent found himself sitting in the present again. Everyone else was chatting away happily, as if nothing was wrong with anyone. It was, indeed, supposed to be a happy occasion; not only were Cloud and Tifa getting married, but they had been given a second chance they never thought they would get.

Slowly, he put the revolver down. He realized he did not want to dampen the festivities. But he did not trust his impulse.

"One of these days, I'll lose it," Vincent said to himself. "I'll pull the trigger."

He stood up, realizing that his depressing state would ultimately be noticed.

"I have to get her back," he said.

It was a new timeline; there would be endless possibilities. New governments and new ideals were forming on all of the continents. Even the people of Round Island had changed. They were embracing new technology, though a "Cult of Sephiroth" was developing.

"She's trapped in a crystal," he continued.

Of course, Cloud and Tifa had been given a second chance after all seemed to have been lost. Compared to being shot in the stomach or turned to dust, being trapped in a crystal was a yawn.

"I'll get her out of there," he said. "I swear it."


	5. A Dangerous Reunion

Premonitions II: Crisis Core

Chapter 5: A Dangerous Reunion

10:00 p.m.

After the party had ended, Tseng and Elena were sitting on their sofa. She was barefoot, reclining sideways; he was sitting upright, giving her a leg rub through her jeans.

"You think they trust us?" Tseng asked.

"I think Tifa does," Elena replied. "But Cloud doesn't seem too sure."

"I can't really blame him," he said. "We did kind of try to kill him. Not that we had much of a choice; we needed to keep roofs over our heads and food in our fridges."

"It's a weird situation," Elena agreed. "Maybe it'll get better with time."

"You think they'll invite us to the wedding?" he asked.

"I doubt it," she replied. "But who knows."

Tseng continued to rub her legs, but she was not feeling much. She was well aware why, but she just had to ask first.

"Are my pants in the way?" she asked.

"Kind of," Tseng replied.

"Hold on," she said with a smile as she got up and approached the windows. "I can't have anyone looking in and seeing me!"

Elena closed the blinds on the front windows. She then made her way back to the couch.

"That's better," she said.

She then turned her back to Tseng, unzipped her jeans, and slipped them off, revealing a pair of rather flattering white panties. She then reclined on the sofa again as Tseng resumed his leg rub.

"You seem happy," he pointed out.

"Well, it's not everyday a girl gets her legs massaged," she said with a smile before kissing him. Her smile then faded from her face. "She's looking for her father."

"Didn't he die?" Tseng asked as he continued to rub.

"She seems pretty sure he didn't," Elena said.

"We both know our former employers forged records left and right," he pointed out.

"Maybe she'll trust us more if I help her," she suggested.

He gave her a concerned look.

"He's dead," Elena assured him. "It'll be a dead end. But she'll trust us." She paused. "And Cloud will, too."

Tseng continued to rub her legs. He then worked his hands up her left leg to where her panties stopped and her skin began.

"Oohh, Tseng!" she purred.

"What?" he asked with a smile.

"I've never had my butt massaged!" she replied.

"Like it?" he asked.

"Love it," she answered.

And their lips met.

MEANWHILE...

11:00 p.m.

Cloud and Tifa were alone a short distance from Nibelheim. They were walking, hand in hand, down the same path they had walked that morning. The reeds were still there, but the bees and butterflies were gone. It was even more tranquil at night.

Suddenly, Tifa stopped them.

"Hold on," she requested.

"What is it?" Cloud asked, wondering what might be on her mind.

In response, she walked a couple of feet in front of him, turned to face him, and smiled. She then rolled up her shirt and tied it, exposing her midriff.

"It's for you, isn't it?" she asked with a smile before kissing him.

She then took his hand again, allowing them to resume their walk.

"What's on your mind?" he asked. "You seem quiet."

"Just six more days," Tifa said with a smile. "I still can't believe we're getting married. In a good way, of course."

"I can't wait," Cloud agreed. "We probably should pick a honeymoon destination, though. And a wedding party. And a guest list."

"True," she said. She then looked him in the eyes. "That reminds me. Mind if I ask you something?"

"Shoot," he approved.

She had been tempted to ask him all night. but she was concerned he would say no. Still, now that they were alone, it would probably be the best time to ask.

"Can we invite Elena and Tseng?"

Cloud stopped again, and was silent, but for only a moment.

"Sure," he replied.

_I'd rather not,_ he thought. _But if they're Tifa's friends now, it would be wrong of me to say no._

Tifa was visibly surprised.

"Really?" she asked. "You're okay with it?"

"The Turks weren't evil," Cloud replied. "Neither was Reeve, who we were going to invite anyway. They were just employees depending on a paycheck. Rufus, Hojo, Heidegger, Scarlet, and Palmer were evil."

Cloud smiled and kissed her. He then placed both of his hands on the small of her back.

It sent chills up her spine. The feeling of his fingertips on her bare skin was almost too much for her already. She knew she had to control herself before a wave of passion fired through her.

Cloud was having the same struggles. He wanted to take her back to the house and make love to her, but he would always respect her wishes. It was a hard thing to resist. Even the feeling of her bare skin could set things off. He was sorely tempted to move one of his hands down and let it rest on her butt through her jeans.

Instead, he withdrew his hands, gazed over her, and backed to a neutral distance.

"What's wrong?" Tifa asked.

"Look," he whispered.

Four figures appeared over the horizon. As they approached, Cloud and Tifa could see that they were humanoid, but were encased in black armor, and had small, rectangular, neon blue dots where their eyes should be.

"Cloud," Tifa began, with concern in her voice, "who are they?"

"Don't know," Cloud replied. "But, whatever they are, they don't seem friendly."

He reach behind to draw his sword, and realized that he had not brought it with him.

"Shit," he muttered.

The armored intruders continued to approach, walking with precise direction towards Cloud and Tifa.

"Hello?" Cloud called, hoping for a response.

None of the four armored men replied. They simply continued their approach, with two specifically eyeing Cloud, and the other two specifically eying Tifa.

"What do you want?!" Tifa exclaimed.

The intruders still did not respond.

"There's four of them," Cloud said, "and I think I know who they are. Reno, Rude, Elena, and Tseng are under there!"

A moment later, one of them, having reached the appropriate distance, reached for Cloud and grabbed him. Another placed his hands on Cloud's neck and began to squeeze.

Fearing for his life, and with little time to think carefully, Cloud gripped the choker's neck and snapped it as hard as he could. To his surprise, the head came off clean, revealing wiring. The hands released, and the headless victim fell to the ground.

"A robot?" Cloud gasped as he relished being able to breathe again.

_So much for these being the Turks,_ he realized.

Meanwhile, one of the other robots began to reach for Tifa.

She quickly responded by driving her foot into its crotch. Her ears were greeted by the sound of metal.

"Ow!" Tifa shouted.

Cloud, who was still struggling to free himself from the robot that had grabbed him, decided to bring out the big guns.

"Tifa!" he called. "Jump back!"

"But...!"

"Just do it!" he commanded.

Tifa jumped backward.

Moments later, lighting struck the robot that was nearest to Tifa, causing it to break into many pieces. Lighting then struck the robot behind it, causing its head and all of its limbs to fall to the ground.

All that remained was the robot that was grabbing Cloud.

Cloud could not cast lightning on it just yet; he would electrocute himself. Gathering his strength, Cloud flung his body forward, sending the robot flying three yards. As soon as he saw his chance, he cast lightning, destroying the last remaining robot.

Cloud immediately ran over to Tifa and hugged her.

"You okay?" he asked her.

"My foot hurts a little, but I'm fine," she replied. "You brought lightning materia?"

"I had it since the party," Cloud replied.

_No need to ask why_, Tifa thought. _He was going to use it on any Turks in case something went south. I really hope he's a little more trusting; I know this situation certainly didn't help._

Suddenly, the reeds began to rustle. A moment later, a large, menacing mechanical contraption appeared on the path. It stood three yards tall and three yards wide. It rolled on a spherical ball, and had cannons pointing forward from each end of the "axle." Above the ball was a tall rod, supported by the "axle," with another cannon up top.

"An S-252?!" Tifa exclaimed. "Where did that thing come from?!"

"The Shinra made it," Cloud replied. "But they never used it. It was one of the few weapons they sold for private use. Anybody could get one."

And then, the two side cannons began to aim. One of them aimed at Cloud. The other aimed at Tifa.

"Shit!" Cloud shouted. "Run!"

Both Cloud and Tifa darted in opposite directions as the two side cannons began to fire, just barely missing their targets. The top one, meanwhile took aim at Cloud, and joined in the attempted massacre.

After about ten seconds, the firing ceased, and both Cloud and Tifa began to hear a clicking sound. It was the sound of the cannons being reloaded.

Cloud saw his chance, and cast lightning, destroying the left cannon, and making Tifa slightly safer.

After ten clicks, the right cannon once again aimed at Cloud, and the top cannon aimed at Tifa.

"Get ready to run like hell again!" Tifa shouted.

Moments later, both cannons began to fire. Cloud and Tifa darted as fast as they could, just barely avoiding the bullets flying their way.

Ten seconds later, the firing stopped again.

As the clicking began again, Cloud once again cast lighting, wiping out the right cannon. All that was left was the cannon on top.

"Well," gasped Tifa, "it can only aim at one of us."

Almost as if in response, the cannon aimed at Tifa, and the clicking stopped.

"Aw, shit!" she whispered.

The cannon began to fire, with Tifa darting for her life.

Cloud, meanwhile, saw his chance and began casting lightning. Just one more strike, and it would be over. He pointed his finger at the top cannon.

And nothing happened.

He was out of AP.

"Motherfucker," he whispered.

The firing stopped and the clicking resumed, but that no longer mattered; they were now completely defenseless.

"Cloud," Tifa began, are out...are you out of...?"

And then, a bolt of lightening, stronger than anything Cloud had cast, struck the S-252, causing the remaining pieces to fall harmlessly to the ground. A pile of smoldering metal was all that remained of the S-252.

"Scared me," Tifa gasped. "For a second, I thought you were out of AP!"

"Here's the damnedest thing," Cloud said. "I was. I wasn't the one who cast that lighting. That looked more like thundaga. In any case, I didn't do it."

Just then, the reeds began to rustle once more.

Tifa instinctively raised her fists.

Cloud did the same; it was his only defense now.

At that moment, the creature emerged from the reeds, and faced directly at Cloud and Tifa.

"No, I did," Red XIII announced. "You really shouldn't be strolling around at night like this. Not outside the safety of Nibelheim."

"Red XIII!" exclaimed Cloud. "You were following us?!"

"I'll be honest," Red XIII replied. "I don't trust any of the Turks."

"You saved our asses," Tifa complimented.

"Did you see where those robots came from?" Cloud asked.

Red XIII shook his head.

"I only know they didn't come from Nibelheim," he answered. "But, in any case, it's not safe out here."

Cloud and Tifa nodded in agreement.

"Come on," Red XIII commanded. "Let's get you two back to Nibelheim before anything else happens."

He began to make his way down the path in the direction of Nibelheim.

Cloud and Tifa stood alone for a few moments before they, too, began to make their way towards their hometown.

Tifa, while attempting to be strong, was in complete shock. She could not believe that someone was still trying to kill them.

"Where could those things have come from?" Tifa asked.

Cloud did not respond.

She was surprised; usually would have an answer, or at least some sort of speculation.

And then, Tifa noticed it: Cloud's face was red with anger.

She immediately became nervous. She had a feeling of what was on his mind, and realized that she needed to quickly say something.

"Cloud, I know what this looks like," she began. "But it wasn't Elena. I swear! I never would have welcomed her into our lives if I thought she would ever do such a thing!"

"That's the thing," Cloud angrily replied as he continued to march toward Nibelheim. "I know it wasn't Elena, or any of the other Turks! They're all out of a job. If they wanted to do something against us, it would be reduced to pick-pocketing and burglary. Those weren't even Shinra troops. But I know where they came from. You went to see Bismarck and I told you not to see her!"

Tifa was silent for a moment; she had to figure that he would find out that she had seen the Continental Governor eventually.

"I didn't expect this!" she immediately defended.

"Well, what did you expect?!" Cloud angrily demanded. "This was the unwanted attention I warned you about!"

"But my father!" she protested.

Cloud sighed, and, while still angry, looked at her in empathy. He gripped her shoulders, and looked her in the eyes.

"Look," he began, "I know you loved your father, and I want him to be alive just as much as you do. But even he wouldn't want you to get killed trying to..."

He stopped. It was at that moment when it hit him. It was not something that he had considered, but it made perfect sense now. Slowly, his anger subsided.

"If your father was dead," Cloud began, in a calmer tone of voice, "they would have nothing to hide. You wouldn't have been on to anything, and..."

Tifa cautiously made eye contact with her fiancé.

"They wouldn't have attacked us," she finished for him. "They wouldn't have attacked us if he was dead. They wouldn't care what I found out. Cloud! Does this mean he's alive?!"

"I think we just proved he is," Cloud said.

"You don't think they came after us for another reason?" she cautiously asked.

Cloud shook his head.

"If he was dead, they would have just announced it and blamed the Shinra."

"He is alive, then," Tifa said solemnly.

"Probably," Cloud agreed. "But, right now, it's not safe out here. We need to go back to Nibelheim where it's safe."

Tifa nodded.

Unknown to them, Karnak was watching them from behind a rock.

"Motherfucker," he grunted.


	6. The Reason

Premonitions II: Crisis Core

Chapter 6: The Reason

Tuesday, January 29, 0008

Four Days Until the Wedding

12:00 a.m.

Tifa sat alone on the sofa and closed her laptop. She had just ordered the "Wifey" crop top she liked for the honeymoon, figuring that putting the wedding back on her mind would relieve her of the stress of what had just happened. She had changed into her pajamas and was ready for bed, but wondered whether she would be able to fall asleep. That night had just proven that their troubles would outlive the Shinra.

These events certainly did not happen in the old timeline. Tifa Prime had given up on her father and never looked back. She realized that, by the time Bestla had killed her, her father would likely have been long dead, having died from some sort of prison illness (since, had he lived, he would have been taken captive), or something worse. She shuddered at the fact that her prime self would allow such a thing.

It would not happen this time. This time, she had noticed the absence of her father in the Lifestream, and put it all together. He had to be alive somewhere.

But, Tifa also wondered if it was truly worth the search. An attempt was made on her life. Cloud, who had done nothing to offend the Continental Governor, had also become a target. This was after he had warned her not to see her; she had let him down.

Tifa then stood up, and walked to back window. The patio was still there, with the pool and the apple trees beyond. Past that, it was no longer safe. The boundary of their backyard was also the boundary of Nibelheim; anything could be lurking in the tall grass that she could now see so clearly.

Peering out, she gazed at the stars.

"Mom," Tifa began quietly. "Did I do the wrong thing? Is Papa alive or isn't he?"

For a few minutes, she continued to gaze at the stars, awaiting some sort of response. But none happened. She sorely wanted to believe that her mother was somehow watching over her, but she simply was not sure.

Just then, she began to hear Cloud descend the stairs. She went to greet him, and noticed that he had changed into his pajamas as well.

"Doors and windows are locked," he announced.

"Good," Tifa said softly.

Cloud looked at her in the eyes, and gently placed a hand on her shoulder.

"I'm sorry I yelled," he apologized.

"Apology accepted," Tifa replied as she wrapped her arms around him and kissed him. "You were right. It did attract unwanted attention."

He took her by the hand and sat her on the sofa with him.

"What happened with the Continental Governor, anyway?" he asked. "Any leads?"

"Not a lot," Tifa replied. "Our names are clear, at least on this continent, but she wouldn't help me with my father. She insists he's dead, but something just didn't seem right there."

"Bismark can lie out of both sides of her mouth at once," Cloud said. "If she ever caught herself telling the truth, she'd lie just for the hell of it."

"Cloud," she asked as she squeezed his hand, "do you think he's alive?"

"I'm pretty sure he is," he answered. "Otherwise, we wouldn't have been attacked tonight. He's obviously somewhere they don't want us to find him. Or he's somewhere they don't want us to find."

"I'm just wondering where to begin," Tifa said. "If we can just have a lead, we can uncover whatever they're hiding. But we'll have to try and find one."

"Probably where we last saw him," Cloud suggested.

She looked him in the eyes. It was not a place she had really wanted to go; it bore too many bad memories.

"The Nibel Reactor?" she asked.

Cloud nodded.

"Let's go there tomorrow," he said.

"We were just there last Wednesday," Tifa reminded him. "We didn't find anything. At least nothing related to him."

"We weren't really looking," he replied. "We kind of had a world to save and a Sephiroth to find."

"What could we have missed?" she asked.

"There has to be surveillance there," Cloud suggested.

"Where would it be?" Tifa asked.

"I wasn't looking," he admitted. "But we'll go there tomorrow. That's the place to begin."

She smiled at him.

"Thanks for being there for me," she said.

In response, Cloud stood, pulled Tifa up as well, and kissed her.

"I always will," he said.

She placed her hands on his shoulders and kissed him again.

"In the meantime," Cloud said, as he began to lead her towards the stairs, "we have a wedding to plan."

"I'm almost done the guestlist," Tifa said as she followed him.

"Who do we have so far?" he asked as he began to climb.

"Barret, Jessie, Yuffie, Vincent, Cid, Shera, Red XIII, Reeve, Parker, Sage, Elena, Tseng, Reno, Rude, my Uncle Albert, and my cousin Tobin. Sixteen."

"I'll think of more," Cloud said as he reached the top of the stairs.

"We also need to pick our wedding parties," she reminded him. "I'll be asking Yuffie, Shera, and Jessie to be my bridesmaids for sure. What about you?"

"Barret, Reeve, Cid, and Vincent," he answered.

"I'll need to make it even on my side," Tifa said. "What about your best man?"

"I dunno," Cloud replied as they entered the bedroom. "I always thought that, if I ever got married, my best man would be you."

Tifa clicked out the light, and they both climbed into bed. Cloud pulled her close, and rested his hand on her back.

Out of the corner of her eye, Tifa could see the clock, and noticed that it was past midnight. It was Tuesday.

_Just five more days,_ she thought. Then, she realized it. _No; it counted wrong. Four more days!_

Tifa giggled at her error.

_This time next week, we'll have been married,_ she thought. _Now, my name is Tiffany Claire Lockheart, but, next week, my name will be Tiffany Claire Lockehart Strife. Now, I have only an engagement ring, but, next week, I'll have a wedding band to go along with it. Now, his hand is resting on my pajama top, but next week, his hand will be encircling my bare back._

The most frustrating aspect was the wait.

SOMEWHERE ELSE...

Far away from Nibelheim, four individuals were seated at a blue, square table. The room they were in was quite large, but the table and chairs, along with a few paintings on the wall, were the only funishings there. The tiles were light and dark blue, and the wall was cerulean. It created an atmosphere of both beauty and sadness at the same time.

The frequent coloring of the room suited one of the individuals seated at the table; he was Karnak. His blue, spikey hair blended in with the surroundings so well that it almost looked as if he was bald. His three underlings were with him; his defeat that night would require a new strategy.

A stout man wearing glasses sat to his left. He actually was bald with red hair on the sides; he was much more visible.

"Your scout-bots failed, Anez," Karnak said to the stout man. "Cloud and Tifa destroyed them with the greatest of ease."

"Those were just the prototype," Anez insisted. "My next batch will be different."

"Are you sure?" inquired Karnak.

"My new ones will be lightening-proof," Anez explained.

"I'd like to believe that," Lechar said from across Karnak. "I really would."

Lechar was a young man in his mid-twenties with black hair and blue eyes. He was tall and skinny.

"Are you going to tell me you can wipe them both out with your 'magical' computer programming abilities?" Anez taunted.

"I know how to cripple them," Lechar said. "They can't see my attacks coming."

"All your attacks do is shut cars down and disable credit cards," Anez retorted.

"And if I did that in the wrong place at the wrong time?" Lechar asked.

Anez was silent. He had no comeback.

"Not to mention, I'm finding new things to hack into on a daily basis," Lechar continued.

Meanwhile, a blond-haired woman sat to the right of Karnak. She was six feet tall, and seemed to make even Karnak uneasy at times. She remained silent, allowing Anez and Lechar to engage in their banter.

"Enough of this!" Karnak demanded. "Anez! Will your next batch of scout-bots be more effective?"

"You have my word," said Anez.

"How soon will they be ready?" Karnak asked.

"By tomorrow," Anez promised. "There will be twelve ready to go. Not to mention I might have a secret weapon."

"Perfect timing," Karnak observed. "Especially since Tifa will most likely begin her search then."

"I'll end her search tomorrow," Anez assured him.

"Tifa absolutely cannot find her father," Karnak reminded his three underlings. "She already knows he's alive. If she finds him, she'll find our facility. She'll expose us, and we'll be shut down."

"Couldn't we just release her father?" Lechar suggested.

"He'll tell everyone about this place," Karnak replied.

"Let me take care of her," Yesha requested. "I'll break every bone in her body. She'll die a slow and painful death."

"Yesha," warned Karnak, "we'll save that for last. We kill her, and she could get sympathizers. Someone might pick up where she left off. Not to mention, Cloud will want to take revenge."

"Good point," Yesha realized.

"One more thing," Karnak began. "Under no circumstances can Bismark find out about this. She told me not to pursue her; I am disobeying a direct order from the Continental Governor. If she finds out about this, I'm a dead man."

Anez, Lechar, and Yesha simultaneously nodded in agreement.

"But what if she makes it here?" asked Lechar.

"If she's stupid enough to find her way here," Karnak replied, "she'll never live to walk down the aisle."

Tuesday, January 29, 0008

11:00 a.m.

The sun shined brightly through the bedroom window as Cloud was the first to awaken. Glancing at the clock, he realized it was already eleven. He had not slept that late since he was in his mid-teens, but the events of the previous day had overtly drained him.

He then turned to the sleeping Tifa. The engagement ring was still on her finger, reminding him that she would become his wife in four more days. And yet, there was still work to be done. Her father was missing, and she was desperate to find him. She hid it the best she could, but she was still hurting inside. And as long as she was hurting, he was hurting.

And then, Tifa opened her eyes.

"Morning, baby," she greeted before kissing him.

"Morning," he replied. "It's eleven."

Tifa quickly eyed the clock.

"We were asleep that long?!" she exclaimed.

"A lot happened yesterday," he reminded her as he pulled her close.

"I don't want to leave!" she playfully complained as she kissed him again.

"Remember," he reminded her.

Tifa solemnly nodded. Today would be an interesting day; she wondered how it would turn out.

"I suppose I'll clean up," she said as she got out of bed and began to walk towards the shower.

After about a yard, she stopped. For a moment, she simply stood there, with her back facing Cloud.

"Cloud," she began, "we could find anything down there."

"I know," he replied as he sat up. "And, whatever it is, we'll be ready. I'll be there with you every step of the way."

Tifa then turned to face him. She walked back to her love, placed her hands on his shoulders, and kissed him once more.

"Four more days," she said.

She then turned, and walked toward the bathroom.

"Four more days, and we can shower together," she whispered with a smile.

LATER...

12:00 p.m.

After Tifa showered and dressed, Cloud did the same. They then went downstairs to the patio room.

"You ready?" she asked.

"Almost," Cloud replied. "We're not going to just go for a stroll this time," he announced as he picked up his sword. "I'm not making that mistake again."

Tifa nodded; a weapon was once again a necessity.

Without further ado, Cloud and Tifa stepped outside to find Barret waiting for them in the town square.

"I heard you got attacked last night," he said. "I thought you could use a hand." He then presented his gun-arm. "One that's deadly, 'course."

"Sure thing," Cloud agreed, realizing that Tifa had texted Barret about the incident that morning.

"So we're goin' back to the Nibel Reactor?" Barret inquired. "Already?"

"There might be surveillance there," Cloud explained. "If Tifa's father really did survive Sephiroth's attack, the footage should reveal what happened afterward."

"And if he didn't?" asked Barret.

"Then it would at least give some closure," Cloud replied. "But it wouldn't explain why Tifa got attacked for going to see the Continental Governor."

"She saw Bismark?!" Barret exclaimed. "I would've avoided 'er."

"I was hoping to get a lead on my father," Tifa explained. "But she's hiding something. I can tell."

"In any case," Cloud said, "we may find our answers at the reactor."

The three of them proceeded to head for the northern exit.

And then, they were stopped.

"Espera! Espera!" called a female voice.

The three of them turned to see Elena running up to them.

"You guys," she implored. "You're not going where I think you're going, are you?"

"That ain't none of your goddam business," Barret replied.

Tifa, meanwhile, had a different idea on Elena's being there. She was a former Shinra employee. She would know more about the reactor, as well as any kept data that might be stored therein.

"We're going to check for surveillance," she replied. "Cloud thinks it'll reveal what really happened to my father."

"We got attacked last night," Cloud added.

"Attacked?!" Elena exclaimed. "By who?"

"I'm not sure," Cloud replied. "But we think the Continental Governor's behind it. She'd have no reason to attack us if her father was really dead."

"Then I'll come with you," Elena requested. "I know where the surveillance is!"

Barret gave her an unwelcoming look. They had already been to the reactor; there did not seem like there was anything she could show them that they had not already seen.

Tifa, on the other hand, was well aware that they had not exactly been looking for small features in every nook and cranny during their previous visit. There might be codes or passwords the she might have access to.

"Thanks," Tifa said aloud. "We could use you."

Barret shifted his look from Elena to Tifa. He was less than comfortable with the arrangement.


	7. The Mountain Reactor Revisited

Premonitions II: Crisis Core

Chapter 7: The Mountain Reactor Revisited

Tuesday, January 29, 0008

Four Days Until the Wedding

1:00 p.m.

Cloud, Tifa, Barret, and Elena stopped their trek through Mount Nibel as the Nibel Reactor stood before them. It seemed dead when looked at; it was no longer absorbing any mako. Nibelheim no longer depended on it for power; most homes there had solar panels. Rocket Town, the only other town that made use of the reactor, was more mixed. Half of the homes there (including Cid's) were solar powered, while the other half were powerless.

Realizing that they could not simply stand there, Cloud led the way inside. Upon viewing the familiar first room with the pipe bridge once again, Tifa immediately clutched his hand. Now that they were no longer pursuing Sephiroth, all that this location brought to her mind was haunting memories of her father.

"Was this where it happened?" Elena mouthed.

Cloud nodded the affirmative.

Barret followed silently behind Elena, keeping a watchful eye on her.

_She could betray us at any time,_ he thought.

The four of them then entered the second room. The pods were still broken, with their contents still missing. Lids were everywhere.

"What the hell happened in here?!" exclaimed Elena.

"When we found Sephiroth in the reactor," Cloud replied, "he released what these pods contained."

Elena gasped in shock.

"He freed the makonoids?!" she shouted.

"They were a pain in the ass," Barret replied in a monotone.

The four of them then climbed the stairs.

Beyond the pod room was the infamous empty container where Jenova had once been.

"Is that it?" asked Elena. "That's where he went cray-cray?"

"That's it," Cloud replied.

"I see you found the secret stairwell," Elena observed as she saw the opening beyond the former tank.

"We didn't," Tifa corrected. "Sephiroth did. We just found it wide open. Sure enough, it was a trap."

_Sure enough, this is a trap_, Barret thought to himself.

They slowly began to descend the stairs. As they reached the first landing, Cloud, Tifa, and Barret began to feel uneasy. None of them could forget what had happened down there, and all of them were well aware of what they would see when they reached the next room. Tifa clutched Cloud's hand again as they reached the bottom; this was taking much more of an emotional toll on her than she had expected.

They entered the next room, and saw what they would never be able to forget.

"Cloud," Elena began, "isn't that..."

"Yep," Cloud replied casually. "That's Sephiroth, alright."

Sephiroth stood there, forever petrified in an eternal state of living death. His sword was still drawn, and he still had the distressful look of defeat on his face. As far as he was concerned, Tifa had just tossed the break materia to the ground.

"He can't hurt you," Tifa added. "In the original timeline, we killed him, but here we realized that he was more dangerous dead than alive, so we had him petrified."

"What happened?" Elena asked.

"Tifa dropped a break Materia and turned all four of them to stone," Cloud solemnly replied. "Along with herself. A soft brought her back to life."

"You should've seen Cloud cryin' at 'er feet when she did that!" Barret chuckled. "He thought she was gone for good."

"Who are those other three?" Elena asked, observing the three other statues.

"Avatars," Tifa answered. "In case he was killed. The one the longest hair is Yazoo. The one with the shortest hair is Loz. The guy with the sword is Kadaj. Sephiroth created them all be seducing and impregnating an unsuspecting woman; one in the snowy plains, one in Midgar, and one in Costa del Sol. Each woman died in childbirth."

"Wow," sighed Elena as she returned her attention to the petrified Sephiroth. "What a sick fuck." She then reached into her jeans pocket. "I think I know what to do."

She then began to walk towards the petrified Sephiroth. And then, she heard the sound of a gun-cocking. She turned to see Barret presenting his gun-arm, with it aimed directly at her face.

"Excuse you?!" Elena exclaimed.

"We didn' need your help gettin' down here!" Barret hissed. "Now step back!"

"Barret!" Tifa exclaimed.

Elena slowly backed away.

"You don't need to do this," she insisted.

"Like hell I don't," Barret grunted. "I saw you fiddlin' in your pocket. Take the soft and give it to Tifa!"

"It's not a soft!" Elena insisted as she pulled the contents from her pocket.

"Lipstick?" Cloud asked.

"I was only going to humiliate him," Elena sighed. "You really thought I was planning to bring him back?"

Barret grunted.

"There's no other reason for you to come down here," he pointed out.

"Really?!" Elena sighed as she pointed to the wall. "Than what's that?"

Cloud, Barret, and Tifa turned to see a touch-dial code kiosk imbedded in the wall.

"That's what I came here for," Elena said as she walked over to the kiosk. "I'll even tell you the code. It's one-two-zero-seven"

She then dialed the code.

"Brace yourselves," Elena ordered.

"For what?" Cloud demanded.

An unseen door then slid open next to Elena, revealing another room.

"That!" Elena exclaimed. "I bet you didn't notice this the last time you were here," she gloated.

Cloud nodded.

Unlike the dark room the four of them were standing in, the hidden room, having lights on, was as bright as day. The walls and floor were clean and white. Before them was a long corridor that led around a bend. It was, effectively, a high-tech secret room.

"Shall we?" asked Elena.

"After you," Barret replied skeptically.

Elena duly led the three down the corridor.

"This isn't very big," she said. "It's only four rooms."

"What is this place?" Cloud asked.

"Basically, a security room," Elena replied. "We had to monitor for intruders."

"You needed four rooms for that?" Barret asked.

"I dunno," Elena replied. "I just know the code because it works in every reactor. I've never actually been to this one."

Just then, the lights suddenly began to flash red. An unpleasant noise began to sound.

"Uh-oh," Elena muttered. "I think they know we're here!"

"But the Shinra's been liquidated!" Barret protested.

"They don't know that," Elena replied.

"Who's 'they?'" Barret demanded.

Moments later, five eight-legged robot walkers, each a foot high, appeared from around the corner. All five began firing lasers in their direction immediately.

"Motherfucker!" shouted Barret as he quickly took his gun-arm and fired on them, dispatching them with the greatest of ease. He then turned to Elena. "You didn't tell me those shits were down here!"

"I didn't design this place!" Elena insisted.

Moments later, five more robot walkers appeared from the other end of the corridor.

"You don't just give up!" shouted Barret as he once again aimed his gun-arm, blasting them all to pieces.

As the four resumed their way down the corridor, Elena turned to Tifa.

"How much ammo does he have?" she asked.

"A lot," Tifa replied. "I never really bothered to count. Or even ask him."

"Will he eventually run out?" Elena asked.

"Eventually," Tifa answered.

"Has it ever happened before?" Elena inquired.

"Once or twice," Cloud replied. "We had to just resort to my sword."

"And my mitts," Tifa added.

Finally, they reached the end of the corridor. Before them stood another sealed door.

"We don't need a code for this one," Elena explained. "It'll open automatically for us."

Barret glared at Elena again.

"You first," he commanded.

Elena sighed and walked towards the door, causing it to slide upwards and reveal the next room.

Inside were twenty more robot walkers. Upon spotting Elena, they began to fire at her in unison.

"YEEE-OWWW!" Elena exclaimed as she jumped back.

Cloud immediately darted in front of Elena, took his sword, and swung it, taking out four robot walkers.

"Quit tryin' to be a hero and riskin' all our asses!" Barret reprimanded as he aimed his gun-arm, opening fire.

For a few moments, Barret and the walkers equally exchanged fire. Slowly but surely, however, one walker exploded after another. There were twelve. Then nine. Then five.

And then, a laser from one of the walkers struck him in the left foot.

"Shi't!" Barret grunted as he hobbled in pain.

"You okay?!" Tifa asked.

"I'll live," Barret replied as he continued to hobble.

As Barret was recovering, Cloud took his sword and finished off the remaining five walkers in two swipes.

"There," Cloud said triumphantly. "Problem solved."

"Thanks for saving my ass," Elena said.

"Don't mention it," Cloud replied.

After Barret insisted he was okay to walk, the four of them entered the room, scanning for any more robot walkers. After being unable to find any, they noticed that the room was much smaller than the corridor; it was only about five yards square. At the other end of the room was another door that looked identical to the first one.

"I'll go in first this time," Cloud offered.

"It's your funeral," Barret replied.

Tifa, meanwhile, walked up next to him and placed her hand on his shoulder.

"We'll do this together," she insisted.

She then moved her hand forward, and the door slid upward.

Before them stood another robot walker. This one, however, stood five feet tall.

"How did I know there was going to be a big one?" Cloud muttered sarcastically.

Cloud raised his sword and threw it down on the giant robot walker. It clanged, and bounced back up.

"What the hell?!" he shouted.

"Allow me!" Barret announced as he aimed his gun-arm and fired.

Everyone's ears were greeted with a clanking sound; the bullets had no effect on it.

"This thing's bulletproof?!" Barret exclaimed.

"No problem!" Cloud shouted as he pointed his finger at the giant robot walker.

Moments later, lightning struck the walker, but apparently did nothing.

"Ummm," muttered the stumped Cloud.

"Can this thing be killed?" Tifa asked.

"Two lightning strikes at the same time," Elena replied.

"What?!" Cloud exclaimed.

"Two lightning strikes at the same time!" Elena repeated.

Cloud turned to Tifa.

"You have lightning materia equipped?" he asked.

Tifa nodded.

Meanwhile, the giant walker's "head" began to illuminate; it was getting ready to fire.

"Quickly!" Cloud commanded. "On the count of three!"

Tifa nodded again.

"One!" the said in unison. "Two! Three!"

Two bolts of lightning struck the giant walker simultaneously.

The walker let out a hideous noise, and began to shake for a few moments before becoming still and collapsing.

Beyond the defunct walker was yet another door.

"I guess the surveillance console is beyond that door?" Cloud asked.

"I believe so," Elena replied.

Cloud took a step forward.

"Wait a damn minute!" Barret shouted. "You don't think that damn thing's gonna explode?"

Cloud took a long look at the fallen walker.

"It doesn't look like it," he said.

He then walked around the walker and approached the door, which opened for him.

Tifa followed suit, walking around the walker to where Cloud was. She took his hand and led him through the doorway.

Elena turned to Barret.

"There's no sense in staying here," she said as she walked around the walker and through the doorway.

Barret stood in his position for a few moments. He then made his way around the walker and through the door. Moments after the door closed behind him, his ears were greeted by a loud boom.

The giant robot walker had exploded after all.

"WHOA! SHIT!" Barret shouted.

Tifa, meanwhile, had spotted the surveillance console. Drawn to it like a moth to a flame, she quickly made her way to the console and sat down, placing her hand on the mouse. She then stopped there; she had no idea what to do next.

"Here," Elena said as she gently took the mouse and clicked on one of the programs. She pressed a few buttons before the screen displayed "surveillance files."

"Thank you," Tifa said.

"What date was it?" Elena asked.

"October 1, 0002," Tifa replied.

Elena entered the date.

"Do you remember the hour?" she asked.

Tifa shook her head.

"They wouldn't let me take my phone with me," she replied.

Elena pressed a few more buttons before the screen revealed the familiar room with the long pipe.

"Was this the room?" she asked.

Tifa nodded.

For the longest time, nobody entered the room. The four of them spent an endless interval of minutes staring at the video of the room. The only thing that moved was the gears.

_Was this the wrong day?_ Tifa thought.

Elena clicked fast forward. The clock sped up, but the room remained empty.

Tifa sighed; this did not seem very hopeful.

And then, figures began to blur.

Elena quickly clicked the play button, and allowed the scene to unfold.

The fifteen-year-old Tifa was there. She was on her knees, kneeling over the fallen Brian. There was no audio, but the twenty-year-old Tifa remembered word for word what she had said to him.

"Is that her father?" Elena mouthed.

Cloud nodded.

Eventually, the twenty-year-old Tifa could no longer hide her emotion, and tears began to flow from her eyes.

"Papa," she whispered.

Cloud placed an arm around her waist for support.

On the screen, the fifteen-year-old Tifa picked up the sword laying next to the fallen Brian and ran into the next chamber.

The four of them continued to watch as Brian continued to lay face-down on the ground. Each of them, especially Tifa, hope to see something happen with him.

But nothing did.

Just then, the sixteen-year-old Cloud walked by on the screen, carrying the fifteen-year-old Tifa.

And then, there was, once again, nothing. Brian continued to lay on the ground, without even moving a finger.

The twenty-year-old Tifa watching the video shed a few more tears.

_Perhaps he really did die after all,_ she thought.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, two paramedics arrived. One of them knelt down, and placed her fingers to Brian's neck.

"They're checking his pulse," Tifa said aloud to herself.

Her heart began to beat faster; it was a glimmer of hope.

On the screen, the paramedic continued to feel for his pulse for a few moments. Finally, she stood upright, and turned to face her colleagues.

And she nodded.

Tifa suddenly gripped Cloud's hand.

"He nodded!" she exclaimed. "He's alive!"

Two more paramedics arrived with a stretcher. The other two lifted Brian onto it before the five of them disappeared to the left.

MEANWHILE...

A helicopter hovered over the Nibel Reactor, and began to make descent.

On board stood Karnak, Anez, and twelve more scout-bots.

"I won't fail this time," Anez assured Karnak, who was standing next to him.

"You better not," Karnak warned. "If you fail this time, mark my words, I will make other arrangements."

"I won't let you down," Anez insisted. "These are second generation scout-bots. They can't fail."

Moments later, the helicopter landed.


	8. The Sudden Attack

Premonitions II: Crisis Core

Chapter 8: The Sudden Attack

Tuesday, January 29, 0008

Four Days Until the Wedding

2:00 p.m.

Tifa continued to stare at the surveillance screen. The room with the pipe bridge was now empty, but she had seen all she needed to see. Now, her heart was filled with hope. Now, she would only be tasked to find out where they had taken him.

"So there we have it," Tifa said softly. "He didn't die there after all." She then turned to her fiancé. "Right, Cloud?"

"They put him on a stretcher," Cloud replied. "He survived. If he was dead, they would've put him in a body bag." He paused. "The question is: where did they take him?"

"I know that's what we need to figure out next," Tifa added.

Cloud took the mouse and closed the surveillance window. He then began to search the desktop and all of the drives for relocation records, without success.

"It's not displaying any records of where they took him," he said in a frustrated tone of voice.

"It won't," Elena said. "Records are kept at the Shinra Headquarters."

"Which no longer exists," Cloud sighed.

Tifa lowered her head in sadness. "That means the records have all been deleted."

She almost wanted to cry; she was back to square one.

"Not necessarily," Elena said. "Unless whoever bought out the Shinra company hired someone to professionally wipe the system-which certainly didn't happen, since a system that big can take months to wipe-that system can be hacked into, and the records can be retrieved."

"Anyone here know how to hack into a system that big?" Barret asked.

Cloud, Tifa, and Elena were silent.

"I sure as hell don't," Barret said.

And then, an idea popped into Cloud's mind.

"I think I know someone who might," he suggested.

"Really?" asked Barret. "Who?"

"I'll give you one hint," Cloud answered. "Her name rhymes with Luffie Lisaragi."

Barret gave Cloud a nasty frown.

"We have to resort to her?!" he sighed.

"Unless anyone knows anyone else," Cloud replied.

Everyone was silent.

"Then there we have it," Cloud decided. "We'll go to the former Shinra Headquarters tomorrow and have Yuffie hack into the system."

"Aren't you forgettin' somethin'?" Barret pointed out. "We're all still fugitives on the Eastern Continent. We can't just go strollin' into town."

Cloud placed his hand to his mouth.

"You've got a point," he said. "Who isn't a fugitive?"

"I guess anyone not officially in Avalanche," Tifa replied. "Red XIII, Yuffie, Cid, Vincent, Reeve..."

"We'll have to send one or two of them with Yuffie," Cloud said.

Tifa stood up, turned to Cloud, wrapped her arms around his shoulders, and, for a rare occasion, buried her head in his chest.

"My papa's alive!" she sniffled. "He's alive, Cloud! He's alive!"

"In any case," Barret said, "there's no sense in stayin' here."

Minutes later, the four of them were back in the musty basement of the Nibel Reactor. Elena entered the code again, sealing the hidden rooms. Before the four of them mounted the stairs, one last thing was addressed.

"What about Sephiroth?" asked Elena, pointing to the petrified villain. "We can't just leave him here!"

"He's petrified," Cloud replied. "He's not going to come back."

"And even if he does," Tifa added, "he'd be too late. Holy moved. Meteor's history."

"But what if someone brings him back with a soft?" Elena asked.

In response, Barret pulled a small electronic device from his pocket, and duct-taped it to the wall, making sure that it faced the petrified Sephiroth.

"What is that?" Tifa asked.

"It's a camera I can check with my phone," Barret replied. "If someone softens 'im, I'll be the first to know."

Realizing that none of them could stay there, and that none of them wanted to stay there, all four of them mounted the stairs to the surface.

"So what's going to happen to Sephiroth?" asked Elena as she continued to climb the stairs. "Are they going to put him in a museum or something?"

"Doubt it," Tifa replied. "Nobody really knows he's down there."

"And I'd prefer it to stay that way," Cloud added.

"Those people on Round Island...some of them are worshipin' him like a god," Barret pointed out as he reached the top of the stairs and made his way into Jenova's chamber.

"And if one of them knows he's here," Tifa added, "well, it won't be good."

"But Holy moved," Elena mentioned as she returned to the pod room. "He can't destroy the world anymore."

"No, but he can still go on a killing spree," Cloud pointed out as he descended the stairs.

"I guess nobody would want that," Elena said.

The four of them passed through the room with the pipe bridge before exiting the reactor. They breathed more easily for but a few moments until they noticed it.

Anez was waiting a few yards from the reactor's entrance.

"Oh look," Elena said. "It's Anus!"

"Anez," he corrected.

"Friend of yours?" Tifa asked.

"Ex co-worker," Elena applied. "Ramon Anez used to work for the Shinra. Until he got fired."

"For what?" asked Cloud.

"Spying on Scarlet in the bathroom," Elena answered. "He's a sick puppy."

"What's he doing here?" Cloud asked.

"Your guess is a good as mine," Elena replied.

And then, the scout-bots began to appear over the horizon, marching ominously towards the four of them.

"Are those the same ones?" Elena asked.

Cloud nodded.

"Well, now we know who was behind the attack last night," Elena said.

"How many this time?" Tifa asked.

"Looks like twelve," Cloud answered.

"And four of us this time," Tifa added.

"In any case, this won't be a problem," Cloud said.

With that, he pointed his finger at one of the scout-bots, and cast lightning.

The scout-bot did not break apart this time.

"Um..." Cloud muttered before casting lightning once again.

The scout-bot, unharmed, continued its pursuit.

"Shit," Cloud grunted.

"This isn't my prototype!" Anez announced.

"Both at the same time?" Tifa suggested.

Cloud nodded.

They both pointed their fingers, causing two bolts of lightning to strike the scout-bot simultaneously. There was still no effect.

"What's wrong?!" Tifa exclaimed.

"They're lightning proof," Barret replied as he cocked his gun-arm. "That's what's wrong!"

He opened fire on several scout-bots at once, resulting in only clanking sounds.

The scout-bots continued their pursuit.

One of them approached Elena and reached out its hands, preparing to strangle her.

Elena, in response, suddenly raised her leg into the air, and performed a mid-air roundhouse kick, striking the scout-bot in the head.

"Fuck!" Barret shouted.

The head came off immediately, landing on the ground and rolling harmlessly away. The body collapsed to the ground.

"That girl can kick!" Barret exclaimed.

"Who else can?" Elena quickly asked. "Who else knows martial arts?"

Only Tifa raised her hand.

Elena then turned to Barret and Cloud.

"Stand back," she commanded.

"But...!" Cloud began to protest, but stopped himself.

"Cloud," Tifa assured him, "we've got this!"

With that, Tifa charged toward the nearest scout-bot and performed an axe kick, taking the head off with the greatest of ease. She then performed a double upper-cut, decapitating two scout-bots at once.

Meanwhile, Elena performed another mid-air roundhouse kick, decapitating not one, not two, but three scout-bots.

Anez began to sweat; there were only five scout-bots left.

And then, the odds turned further against him.

"I'm coming!" shouted a familiar voice.

Moments later, Cait Sith appeared from behind the horizon. He pounded the nearest scout-bot on the head, causing it to break into pieces.

A second scout-bot put its hands on Cait Sith's left arm in hopes of ripping it off, but Cait Sith, himself a robot, was built to be much stronger.

"Are you kidding me?" he taunted before freeing his arm, dispatching the scout-bot in the same manner.

"Didn't anyone ever tell you to put a robot against a bunch of robots?" Cait Sith asked.

"I kind of had a lot on my mind," Cloud replied.

There were three scout-bots left, with one approaching Tifa, one approaching Elena, and one approaching Cait Sith. Moments later, after one mid-air roundhouse kick, one axe kick, and one pound with a giant fist, all of the scout-bots were gone.

Cait Sith charged at Anez and pounded him on the head, knocking him out cold.

The cat then turned to Elena.

"Thanks for alerting me," he said.

Elena looked at him crossly, and placed her hands on her hips.

"You're late," she reprimanded.

"I'm sorry," Cait Sith apologized. "I was at Sage's school play. My cell was silenced."

"Excuses, excuses," Elena sighed.

"We got all the info we needed," Barret said. He then took a look at the fallen Anez. "May I suggest we get our asses outta here before he recovers and calls for reinforcements?"

Cloud, Tifa, and Cait Sith nodded in unison.

"One more thing," Elena announced.

Moments later, Anez's hands and feet were tied.

AN HOUR LATER...

3:00 p.m.

The helicopter sped away from Mount Nibel. Karnak had arrived and picked up Anez, but declined to untie him; he simply allowed him to lay bound in the fetal position on the floor.

"You failed again," Karnak reprimanded. "Just as I suspected."

"I can come up with better-" Anez began.

"No," Karnak interrupted. "No more scout-bots. We're having a meeting. It looks like we need to try someone else's idea for once."

"Can you at least untie me?" Anez requested.

"Maybe tomorrow morning," Karnak replied. "Right now, I want to see you humiliated. Because that's how I feel. They now have scout-bot parts. Those can lead them to us."

"No, they can't," Anez insisted. "I already programmed a safeguard. They delete all programming and files once they're decapitated. We're safe, Karnak. We're safe."

In response, Karnak pulled out a knife.

Anez gasped, fearing the worst.

But instead, Karnak cut Anez loose, and allowed him to rise to his feet.

"That reactor has surveillance footage," Karnak said. "They now know that Brian Lockheart survived that day."

"But they don't know where he is," Anez replied.

"Not yet," Karnak said. "Not yet."

At that moment, Anez could no longer see land out of the helicopter window.


	9. The Other Search Begins

Premonitions II: Crisis Core

Chapter 9: The Other Search Begins

Tuesday, January 29, 0008

Four Days Until the Wedding

7:00 p.m.

Cloud, Tifa, Barret, and Elena had decided to ease the events of the day by having dinner at the diner. After that, the four of them stood in the town square, preparing to retire for the night.

Tifa looked toward the southern exit of Nibelheim; beyond that, it was no longer safe. She then looked toward the northern exit of Nibelheim; beyond that, it was no longer safe. She almost did not want to look out the window into her backyard; it was no longer safe beyond the apple trees. She then turned to Cloud; she always felt safe with him around.

"I just texted Cid and Yuffie," Tifa announced. "They're willing to do it."

"Do what?" Barret asked skeptically.

"Go into the former Shinra Headquarters and hack the system," Tifa clarified.

"The building's been divided up, but all of the companies are, for now, still using the same system," Elena added. "They can peek at each other's files with the right hacker."

"How's this exactly gonna work?" Barret asked as he folded his arms.

"Yuffie's going to go in for what appears to be a job interview," Tifa explained. "Sooner or later, the interviewer's going to have to get up and talk to his supervisor. When that happens, Yuffie goes straight to the computer and hacks in."

"That's it?" Barret asked.

"That's it," Tifa answered.

"Then what's Cid there for?" Barret inquired.

"To keep the interviewer at bay in case it takes Yuffie longer than expected," Tifa replied.

Barret grunted.

"You're really doin' this?"

Tifa frowned. She had really been hoping that Barret would be the second most supportive party, after Cloud.

"I have to," Tifa insisted. "We just found out my father's alive. He needs to be rescued."

Barret shook his head.

"You mean we found out Sephiroth didn't kill him back then," he corrected her. "He might've passed since then."

"That's possible," Tifa admitted. "But there's only one way to find out."

Barret sighed, and looked up at the sky.

"Is it really worth it?" he asked her. "Look what's nearly happened to you so far!"

"Barret," Tifa protested, "you won't support me?"

"I want to go to your wedding," Barret replied. "Not your funeral. And I really don't wanna be explainin' to Marlene why she's never gonna see her auntie Tifa again."

Cloud glared at Barret, and opened his mouth, as if he was about to say something, but Tifa gently grabbed his arm.

"He's got a right to his opinion," she said.

"We all care about you," Cait Sith added. "But we don't want to see you killed. Or worse, captured and placed alongside him. There's former Shinra employees who are playing by their own rules now."

Tifa looked Cait Sith sincerely in the eyes.

"Do you have access to anything?" she asked him. "Anything at all?"

The cat shook his head.

"Only Heidegger, Scarlet, Hojo, Rufus, and President Shinra had that kind of clearance," he replied. "And I couldn't hack a computer network to save my life."

"Do you have any idea where he could be?" Tifa then asked.

"If he's alive," Cait Sith answered, "he could be anywhere. Any reactor, the Shinra Building, anywhere. There were facilities that even I didn't know about."

Tifa lowered her head. She realized that it would be an uphill battle.

"I don't mean to be a dick," Barret said, "but I really don't think your dad would want you risking your life for him. Trust me, I'm a dad. If Marlene did somethin' like that, I'd scream her stupid."

"Barret, I know," Tifa assured him. "You're still invited to the wedding, of course. It wouldn't be right without you."

"I do have to agree with him," Cait Sith added. "If Sage did something like that, I might actually die of fright. Better if something happened to me than her."

"I know," Tifa said. "You both already supported me enough by being here today."

Cait Sith hobbled off as Barret got into his car and drove out of the southern exit. Only Cloud, Tifa, and Elena remained.

Tifa then turned to Elena.

"I forgot to mention," she began, "you're invited."

"Really?" Elena exclaimed in surprise.

Tifa nodded.

"Oh my God, thank you!" Elena shouted.

"Don't mention it," Cloud added. "You've been a friend to Tifa."

"I'll be there with bells on!" Elena said happily.

"And bring Tseng," Cloud added. "You need a date."

Elena then turned to Tifa.

"Have you gotten your dress?" she asked.

Tifa shook her head.

"No, I haven't," she replied. "With all that's been happening, I nearly forgot!"

"Well, the wedding is only four days away," Elena pointed out. "There's a dress shop near the Shinra Mansion that sells wedding dresses. It's open 'til nine."

Tifa hesitated for a moment. Despite the situation, her wedding remained in place on the upcoming Saturday. She would still need to find a dress, and having someone help her pick one out would not be a bad idea.

"Sure," she answered. "I probably should get that taken care of."

Elena quickly turned to Cloud.

"This is girls only," she said. "Boys go home!"

Well aware of the circumstances, Cloud did as he was told. Tifa and Elena remained alone in the town square.

"What do you think of all this?" Tifa asked.

"About the search for your dad?" Elena asked.

Tifa nodded.

"It's a risk," Elena said. "But you've been through far worse. You have my support."

Tifa smiled. There was certainly one friend who would be there all the way.

SOMEWHERE ELSE...

9:00 p.m.

Barret safely arrived in North Corel without incident. He disembarked and looked around. The town was slowly recovering, with shacks slowly becoming houses. Four or five of them had electricity; Barret lived in one of those. He kept vigilant; now that he had gotten involved, he had it in the back of his head that the scout-bots might come for him. He cautiously scanned his surroundings in every direction.

And then, he saw someone he knew.

"Jessie?!" he asked. "What're you doin' here?"

"Staying at the inn," she replied.

Barret was surprised; the inn was not one of the buildings with electricity.

"Why this shithole?" he asked. "Don't you wanna stay at your home?"

Jessie gave him a sad look.

"My home was destroyed when the Sector Seven plate fell," she replied. "Not to mention, I'm a fugitive on the Eastern Continent, just like anybody else."

Barret nodded.

"Where've you been," she asked him.

"Nibelheim," he replied. "Tifa just found out her dad wasn't really killed five years ago. She's sending Yuffie and Cid into the Shinra Building tomorrow to try and hack the system and find out where he is."

He then made his way to his porch, sat down, and groaned.

"You don't seem too happy," Jessie observed.

"She's gonna get killed," Barret sighed. "I'm scared shitless she ain't even gonna see her own wedding. Bismark's hidin' somethin', and Tifa's been sniffin' around it."

For a few moments, the two of them sat together on Barret's porch, staring at the sky. Jessie was silent the entire time.

"But enough of me," Barret continued. "What's on your mind?"

Jessie looked Barret in the eyes, making it clear that she was troubled.

"It's possible I won't be around to see the wedding, either," she said.

"What?!" asked Barret skeptically.

"The timeline," Jessie replied. "It fights back, remember?"

Barret was silent. Once again, he remembered how he suddenly had the premonition that his friend Dyne would jump to his death. Once again, he recalled shooting him in the legs just as he was about to do so, seemingly saving his life. Once again, he recalled returning to Corel Prison, only to find out the Dyne had died from dysentery. Dyne had beaten the timeline, but the timeline had fought back, and claimed him.

Would Jessie be next?

Jessie was silent as well, realizing that any day could be her last. It seriously made her reconsider her potential future with Barret. She did like him, and she sorely wanted to tell him. He could fall in love with her, and they could start a relationship.

And then she would die, and his heart would be broken all over again.

Jessie sighed; this was a bad idea. Realizing that she had made a mistake, she stood up.

""Where are you goin'?" Barret asked.

"Back to my room," she replied.

"With no power?" he inquired. "Don't be dumb. Stay at my place. You can have the couch."

Jessie shook her head.

"I couldn't do that to you," she dismissed.

And, with that, she ran off, leaving Barret to scratch his head in confusion.

MEANWHILE...

9:30 p.m.

Tifa and Elena exited the dress shop as it closed for the evening, and made their way to Elena's door.

"I can't wait to see the look on Cloud's face when he sees you in that wedding gown," Elena said with a smile.

Tifa smiled back.

"Thanks for taking me," she said.

Tifa had no regrets about inviting Elena to the wedding. She was indeed a good person, and Tifa had been suspecting such since they had the run-in with Don Corneo back in Wutai. She had just happened to have been working for the wrong people.

"Tifa," began Elena, as a somewhat embarrassed look came to her face, "is it okay if I ask you something?"

"Of course," Tifa approved. "I mean, you deserve it. After my mom died, I always wondered who would take me to get my wedding dress." She paused. "I'm glad it turned out to be you."

Elena smiled briefly.

"Please don't take it the wrong way," she warned. "It's just something I've been curious about."

"Trust me," Tifa insisted, "I'm one of the hardest people in the world to offend."

Elena took a deep breath.

"You've really never had sex before?"

Tifa nodded.

"Because I was wondering," Elena continued, "how do you feel about Cloud seeing you naked?" She paused. "Since you did grow up together. I never dated an old friend; I met Tseng as an adult."

"I am kind of nervous," Tifa replied. "Yeah, we grew up together. There's always a best friend when you grow up, but the fact that he was a boy and I was a girl always made it possible we could become more than friends." She paused. "I have a plan, though."

"A plan?" Elena asked.

"I own one bikini, and it has my last name printed on the back of the bottoms," Tifa began.

"That's kind of a tough situation," Elena observed. "It won't be your last name anymore as of Saturday."

"I know," Tifa replied. "So I'll make sure we book a hotel room with a hot tub that night. We'll both get changed behind closed doors one last time, and I'll tell him to meet me in the room with the hot tub. When he comes in wearing his trunks, he'll see my upper half and bikini top first, but when he gets closer, he'll also see my bare hips, and realize that I don't have my bottoms on. I'll let him take it in for a couple of seconds, then I'll tell him to come around and join me in the tub. He'll see my naked backside first. Then I'll get up, turn around, and he'll see my front. Then, finally, while we're making out, I'll take my bikini top off. I'll save the best for last, if you will."

Elena stood silently.

"Sorry," Tifa quickly apologized. "I know that was T.M.I."

Elena shook her head.

"That's the sexiest thing I've ever heard of," she said. "It's the perfect way for him to see his best friend naked for the first time."

"But I am nervous," Tifa added. "When he comes in, I know my mouth will be dry, and I'll have butterflies in my stomach."

A few moments later, Tifa and Elena had said their good-byes, and the latter had retired to her home for the evening.

As Tifa was returning to her own home, she saw someone she knew, and briefly jumped in surprise.

"You scared me!" she exclaimed.

"Sorry," Cait Sith apologized. He was standing right next to her front door.

"What's up?" she asked.

"I'm here to protect you," he replied. "To keep you safe."

"I appreciate it," Tifa said with a smile, "but you don't have to stay here. You have a life, too, you know."

The cat shook his head.

"Don't forget that I can be in two places at once," he pointed out. "Please, let me do this for you. It'll at least make me feel better about the situation."

Tifa sighed and shook her head with a smile.

"Stubborn little cat, aren't you?" she asked. "Alright, you win. Thanks."

"Any time," Cait Sith said, purring.

FAR AWAY...

10:00 p.m.

Karnak, Anez, Yesha, and Lechar were again seated at the blue table in the blue room. All were seated in an awkward silence, as the situation was escalating beyond what they had anticipated.

"Once again, you failed," Karnak reprimanded. "Anus."

Yesha and Lechar giggled.

"Anez," he corrected.

"Tifa now knows for sure that her father is still alive," Karnak continued. "She got into the reactor's old surveillance files."

"Did she track him to his current location?" asked Lechar.

"It doesn't look like it," Karnak replied.

"So how close is she?" asked Yesha.

"Not much closer," Karnak replied. "That reactor's surveillance doesn't contain records of anything, only video footage. That trip alone won't lead her to him."

"What about Cloud?" asked Lechar. "He's obviously standing by her."

"I'll confront him myself," Karnak announced. "And I'll give one last warning. If either of them continues to pursue her father," he continued as he turned to Yesha, "she's all yours."

Yesha smiled, and cracked her knuckles.

"Just tell me where and when," she requested.

"We'll do it somewhere where nobody will find her body," Karnak explained. He then grinned. "Or at least until it's decayed significantly."

SOMEWHERE ELSE...

11:45 p.m.

Tifa and Cloud were seated in the parlor, having just finished a game of Mousetrap. Despite it being their favorite game, Tifa was quiet the whole time.

"What's up?" Cloud asked, taking notice.

"I just realized how small the wedding's going to be," said Tifa, in a melancholy tone of voice.

"Who do we have so far?" Cloud asked.

"Us, Bismark, Elena, Tseng, Barret, Marlene, Jessie, Red XIII, Reeve, Parker, Sage, Yuffie, Cid, Shera, Vincent, my uncle and aunt, and my cousin, Tobin," Tifa replied. "That's who I know will come for sure. Maybe Tobin will bring a date."

"How many is that?" asked Cloud.

"Nineteen," Tifa replied. "It's going to be one small wedding."

"We don't know that many people," Cloud pointed out. "We never really did.

"I know," Tifa said. "But I'm hoping we can up it to twenty."

Cloud took her hand and held her close; he knew exactly whom she was talking about.

"We'll find your dad," he assured her. "He won't miss the wedding. I'll make sure of it."

Tifa smiled and pressed her lips against his cheek.

"I just was really surprised Yuffie and Cid were willing to do what they're doing tomorrow for us," she said.

"We're still fugitives on the Eastern Continent," Cloud reminded her. "But, in any case, we have a good group of friends. So what if it's small."

"You're right," Tifa agreed as she put her controller down.

Cloud paused.

"We could invited Reno and Rude," he said.

"That's actually a good idea," Tifa said as she stood up and stretched with her back facing him.

"I was joking," he said.

"No, actually I think we should," she said. "It'll help bury the hatchet." She then extended her hand. "Ready for bed?"

They climbed the stairs hand-in-hand. They parted ways at the hallway bathroom, where Cloud entered alone and changed into his pajamas. As he put his pajamas on, Cloud, who had secretly been scanning Tifa's figure while her back was turned to him, realized how beautiful she really was. He had never realized that until they were together; he was starting to see her as his lover just as much as his best friend. The tee shirt and jeans Elena had picked out for her really helped; they completely flattered her body.

Not wanting to keep his fiancée waiting, Cloud exited the hallway bathroom, and began to walk toward the bedroom.

"Hold on!" Tifa called from the room. "I'm putting my pants on!"

Cloud stopped. Even though the wedding was only days away, he would still respect her wishes for privacy. Instead, he simply closed his eyes and imagined what Tifa looked like at that moment. Knowing her lack of interest in fashion, he realized that she probably wore simple white panties that were no different from her bikini bottoms. He knew the orthopedic underwear rumors were completely false.

"Okay," she called. "You're good!"

Cloud entered the room to find Tifa sitting on the bed, barefoot in her shimmering blue pajamas. He clicked off the light and climbed into bed, with both of them getting under the covers simultaneously. He kissed her and pulled her close, resting her head on his shoulder.

"It just hit midnight," Tifa said. "Only three more days, and you won't have to wait."

He kissed her again before closing her eyes.

It was three more days; he could wait. He again thought about their wedding night. Again he wondered how noisy she would be, and what her butt looked like. They were more or less the final puzzle pieces of a twenty year relationship.

Tifa, meanwhile, kept her eyes open, staring at the engagement ring on her left ring finger, as well as the bare ring finger on Cloud.

She desperately wanted their wedding bands to appear.

And their clothes to disappear.


	10. Return to the Tower

Premonitions II: Crisis Core

Chapter 10: Return to the Tower

Wednesday, January 30, 0008

Three Days Until the Wedding

9:00 a.m.

Cloud and Tifa, having been awake for a couple of hours, were seated at the kitchen table. They had just finished breakfast when Tifa felt her cell phone buzz.

"Yuffie's on her way to Midgar Tower now," she announced as she checked her phone.

"Where?" Cloud asked, perplexed.

"It's what they renamed the Shinra Headquarters," she clarified. "There's now three or four companies on just about every floor of that place."

"What company is she interviewing with?" he asked.

"She chose Garret and Brown," Tifa continued.

"Who?"

"They're a start-up company," she said. "I don't know what they're about, but they're a start-up company."

"Never heard of them," he dismissed.

"Almost all of these are start-up companies," Tifa pointed out. "The world's changing, especially in this new timeline. Private ownership is thriving." She then paused, and became solemn. She stood up and walked toward the window, staring ourside into the town square with her back turned toward her fiancé.

"Everything okay?" Cloud naturally asked.

"I'm just wondering what we're going to find today," Tifa replied softly. "I'm wondering if...I'll see him again today."

"It is possible," he agreed.

Tifa sighed.

"Cloud, I know you two didn't get along, but I really want him to walk me down the aisle."

"He never found out the truth about what happened back at Mount Nibel," Cloud reminded her. "When we find him, we'll tell him."

Tifa continued to look out the window. She was constantly hoping for the best, where she would find her father, but also preparing herself for the worst, where she would not.

"I think if we don't find him," she continued, "I'll ask my cousin Tobin instead. You remember Tobin, don't you?"

"Of course I do," Cloud replied. He then looked up on the wall to see a recent framed picture of Tobin. He had brown, buzzed hair, and the same chestnut eyes that Tifa had. Cloud then turned his attention back to his fiancée.

"Sorry to be a downer," she apologized. "This turned out to be a lot more overwhelming than I expected."

"No worries," he assured her. "That's what I'm here for."

He then turned his attention to Tifa's body. Again, he scanned her, again observing how her tee greatly showed her back curves, and how good her jeans made her butt look. He was now well aware she was three days away from becoming his sexual partner as well as his best friend; he was beginning to lust for her.

Tifa, meanwhile, turned her headl slightly to smile at him, and quickly noticed his eyes on her backside.

"Are you checking me out?" she asked him.

Cloud quickly raised his eyes to make contact with hers, but it was too late. She had noticed.

"I-I-I," he hopelessly stammered.

Tifa smiled, and turned to face him.

"I want you to check me out," she said.

With that, she took her shirt and rolled it to expose her midriff, just like on their ill-fated walk outside Nibelheim two days earlier. She then walked over to Cloud, took his hands, lifted him to his feet, and pressed her lips against his.

"Three more days and you'll be seeing a lot more," she whispered.

10:00 a.m.

Yuffie entered Midgar Tower, and stopped for a moment in the foyer. The last time she had been here, she had been taken prisoner by the Shinra. Now she was there for a job interview. It truly was an odd twist of fate.

The atmosphere was completely different; the regiment of security guards had been replaced by a lone receptionist. All Shinra logos had been removed, replaced by pictures of mountain, waterfalls, and other wonders of nature.

Yuffie, of course, had disguised herself; she had sprayed her hair blond, and was wearing sunglasses. She had a guide stick in her left hand, pretending that she was visually impaired. She also brought a pseudonym with her.

Cid was behind her, pretending to be another applicant. Unlike Yuffie, he had opted to go as himself. He simply wanted to get everything over with.

"Good morning," greeted the receptionist. "Can I help you?"

"Devon Tanimoto," Yuffie replied. "I'm here for the interview. Garret and Brown."

The receptionist briefly checked the computer.

"That would be floor thirty-seven," she replied.

She then looked below Yuffie's waist, and gasped.

"What is that...….thing?" the receptionist asked.

Red XIII was also with them. He had also been brought as a percaution, in case anything went south.

"It's my service animal," Yuffie replied.

"Okay," the receptionist agreed with a sigh. "You can use the elevators in the back."

UPSTAIRS...

Yuffie sat in Garret and Brown's human resources department, with Red XIII sitting patiently at her side. The interviewer, who had introduced himself as Zeke, sat across from her. He was young, but grossly obese. He had spent the last several minutes asking Yuffie basic interview questions, and she was beginning to grow inpatient. There was a computer that was right next to Zeke; all that would have to happen was that he would have to leave to talk with this supervisors, allowing Yuffie to hack into it. Unfortunately, he continued to babble on.

"What is you past work experience?" he asked.

"I've worked as a waitress at the Seventh Heaven bar," Yuffie replied.

Zeke smiled.

"I've been a big fan of Avalanche," he said. "Did you know Cloud Strife or Tifa Lockheart?"

"A little," Yuffie replied, worried for her real identity being revealed.

Zeke smiled again.

"What were they like?" he asked.

Yuffie decided to humor him with a lie, hoping he would move on.

"Cloud was nice," she said. "He was good to everyone and everything around him. Tifa, now, she was mischievous. She loved passin' gas, and shutting all the windows and fanning it all around."

"Wow," he replied. "Okay, let's continue."

_Please leave,_ Yuffie thought, still eying the computer in front of Zeke.

"Have you ever been fired?" he asked.

"No," Yuffie replied.

"Good to hear," he said.

She again eyed the computer, and began to twiddle her thumbs.

"Why should we hire you?" he asked.

"I'm easy going," she replied. "I don't question. Just tell me what to do and I'll do it."

"That's what I had been hoping to hear," he said.

Yuffie was growing impatient; he was never going to leave his spot.

"Do you have any criminal history?" he asked.

Suddenly, she got an idea.

_This might work,_ she thought.

"Actually, there is something on my record," Yuffie replied.

Zeke's face became stern.

"Could you explain it to me, please?" he asked.

"When I was fifteen I threw rocks at a garage and I got holes in it," she said.

Zeke immediately jotted this down on his notepad.

"Well," he said, "if you'll excuse me, I'll need to discuss this with human resources. Would you mind waiting here?"

"Not at all," Yuffie said.

Zeke nodded, stood up, and walked into the next room, closing the door behind him.

"Bingo," Yuffie whispered.

With that, she quickly hopped out of her seat, and sat in Zeke's. She pulled out her USB drive and got to work.

MEANWHILE...

"So," began Cid, who was seated in Garret and Brown's reception room awaiting his turn, "what does Garret and Brown make?"

"Money," the receptionist replied.

"I mean, what does it do?"

"It makes money," the receptionist replied.

"What kind of degree do you need?" Cid then inquired. "You know, to work here?"

"A bachelor's," the receptionist replied. "We have more positions open if you're interested."

Cid then felt his cell phone buzz. He took it out and look at it, noticing that Shera had sent him a text.

"Four more days until my birthday!" her text read.

Cid sighed. _This is all she's thinking about?_

He quickly sent her a smile emoji.

The phone then buzzed again, and Cid remembered why it was all she was thinking about.

"What's coming off first?" the text asked. "Top or bottom?"

Cid eagerly began to text back.

"I'm sorry," the receptionist suddenly apologized, "we don't allow cell phones in the lobby."

A Cid begrudgingly put his away, the door opened, followed by Yuffie and Red XIII escaping the room she had interviewed in.

"I've got it!" she announced. "Let's go!"

A moment later, Zeke appeared through the door way.

"Get back here, you sneak!" he demanded.

He then began to pursue her, only to trip over his own foot and fall on his face.

"Let's get the hell outta here!" Yuffie insisted as she and Red XIII disappeared out the front door.

"Shinra, they ain't!" Cid shouted gleefully as he followed them.

LATER...

11:00 a.m.

"Well," said Yuffie as Tifa opened her front door to admit the former, "I did it."

"You got it?" Tifa asked hopefully.

"I got it," Yuffie verified as she pulled the USB drive from her pocket with a grin.

"Did everything go okay?" Tifa asked.

"Mostly," Yuffie replied. "Nothing too bad happened until the very end."

"Nothing 'too bad?'" asked Tifa skeptically.

"Forget it," Cid dismissed as he followed behind her. "Start-ups know dick." He then turned to Tifa. "Well, let's waste no more time."

Tifa, Cloud, Cid, Red XIII (who had shown up behind Cid) and Yuffie walked over to the laptop set up at the kitchen table. Yuffie sat down and placed the USB drive in the port, starting the upload.

The loading bar then appeared, marking the percentages.

"Come on, papa," Tifa whispered as she squeezed Cloud's hand. In a few more moments, she would have the answers she had been seeking.

And then, a file appeared on the desktop screen.

"Here it is," Yuffie said as she clicked on it.

Tifa squeezed her fiancé's hand again, and realized that her palms were sweaty.

And then, Yuffie sighed.

Tifa looked at the screen, and felt the sickening feeling of her hopes quickly fading.

The characters displayed in the file were not even any recognizable letters; they were a bunch of odd-looking symbols. Nothing was readable.

"Fuck!" shouted Cloud angrily. "They must of known we were coming!"

"'They?'" replied Yuffie. "'They' don't exist anymore, remember?"

"I meant the Continental Governor," he clarified.

"She wouldn't have access," Cid pointed out. "Midgar's on the Eastern Continent."

"It doesn't matter," Tifa said sadly. "It's just gibberish."

"Guys?" called Yuffie.

"Maybe they were in the process of wiping everything?" Red XIII suggested.

"Guys," Yuffie repeated.

"I'd kind of like to go back there and kick all their asses!" Cid exclaimed.

"Guys!" shouted Yuffie at the top of her lungs.

Everyone became silent.

"It's not gibberish," Yuffie continued.

"W-what do you mean?" asked Tifa.

"It's coded," Yuffie clarified. "These are computer codes. I recognize them. The info's there; we just can't read it."

Suddenly, all three of their ears were greeted by the sound of the front door opening.

"She's right, you know," Cait Sith announced as he hobbled into the parlor. "Shinra used a coding system to protect their info from anyone who didn't like them. Namely Avalanche."

"You could hear us?" Yuffie asked.

"I'm a cat," Cait Sith reminded her. "I have great hearing."

Tifa then turned to Yuffie.

"Can you crack it?" she asked.

"No can do," Yuffie replied. "It's beyond my knowledge. Only Tobias Ryan can crack a code like that. You know that big house you can sometimes see from the Highwind when you're near Costa del Sol?"

Cloud and Tifa nodded in unison.

"He lives there," Yuffie finished. "He's the best code-breaker in the world. Everyone calls him the Translator."

"Well," Cloud began, "let's take it to him and have him decode it."

"No!" Yuffie immediately objected. "I can't go anywhere near that place!"

"Why not?" Cloud asked, although he already knew the answer.

"I kind of pissed him off," she replied.

"You mean you stole from him," Tifa corrected.

"Stole, pissed off, it's the same thing," Yuffie sighed.

"Look, we know where the house is," Cloud said. "We'll go see him and get it decoded in your place."

"You won't be sorry," Tifa added.

"But you might," Yuffie warned.

Tifa gave Yuffie a skeptical look.

"Why?" she asked.

"That's a crazy house," Yuffie answered.

"You mean it's designed funny?" Cloud asked.

"That place is full of booby traps," Yuffie explained. "And you have the biggest boobs that I know."

"Thanks," sighed Tifa.

"Sorry," continued Yuffie, "I couldn't resist. But, seriously, that house is full of dangerous traps. The ones that cause bad things."

"How bad?" asked Tifa.

"Like, death, bad," Yuffie clarified. "Now, when you get there, there's a gate with a metal detector in front of it. It won't open until you've relieved yourselves of all your weapons. I'd say half of the people who went in there never came out."

"Question," Cloud inquired. "If he's getting people killed, how come he's not getting arrested?"

"Because he records his 'guests' and broadcasts them on social media," Yuffie replied. "He's got thousands of fans. Including the Continental Governor."

"Bismark's a fan?!" Tifa exclaimed.

"Hence, they don't arrest him," Yuffie explained.

"We'll survive," Cloud assured her. "So you might as well look for a date for the wedding."

"A what?!" Yuffie exclaimed in surprise.

"A date," Tifa repeated.

"I don't need a date," Yuffie dismissed.

"Who would you dance with, then?" Tifa asked.

"I can dance with myself without twerking," Yuffie assured her.

"Just bring a friend," Cloud suggested.

"And dance with him?" Yuffie asked.

"It's just a friendly dance," Tifa assured her. "It's not like you two have to marry."

Yuffie gave Tifa a skeptical look.

"Did you say that to Cloud?" she inquired. "Look what happened!"

"Just find a damn date," Cloud commanded.

"It's not a priority," Yuffie dismissed. "I'm just happy you two are finally going to have sex."

Tifa rolled her eyes.

_This again,_ she thought.

Cloud, meanwhile, had another idea.

"Most couples at weddings have sex on the wedding night," he began. "It's not just the bride and groom."

Yuffie's eyes widened.

"I'm pretty sure Tseng and Elena will," Cloud continued.

"I know Shera and I will," Cid added. "She turns eighteen at the stroke of midnight."

Yuffie nodded.

"Okay," she said. "You've talked me into it."


	11. The Translator's Fun House

Premonitions II: Crisis Core

Chapter 11: The Translator's Fun House

Wednesday, January 30, 0008

Three Days Until the Wedding

12:00 p.m.

Yuffie was pacing around Nibelheim's town square, still taking in what Cloud had said to her earlier.

"I need to find a date!" she muttered to herself. "I need to find a date!" She paused. "But what guys do I know that are not already taken?"

She pulled out her cell phone and went straight to her contacts. She came upon one Haru Tanaka, who lived across the street from her in Wutai. Realizing that she indeed knew him that well, it was worth a shot. She quickly pressed the call button.

"Hello?" answered Haru after three rings.

"Haru!" greeted Yuffie. "Hi!"

"Who's this?" he asked in a neutral tone of voice.

Yuffie frowned; he had deleted her number.

"It's Yuffie," she replied, still attempting to sound upbeat.

"Yuffie who?" he asked.

"Kisaragi," she replied.

"Oh," he said, still in a neutral tone of voice. "The same Yuffie Kisaragi who stole my tablet last year?"

"I didn't steal it!" Yuffie insisted. "I just borrowed it for a long time!"

"Without asking," Haru reminded her. "Anyways, did you need something?"

"I have something to ask you," she said, even though she was grossly skeptical at this point.

"What's up?" he asked.

She took a deep breath.

"Will you go to Cloud and Tifa's wedding with me?"

There was a bothersome silence before Haru finally answered.

"I wouldn't go with you if I was dirt poor," he replied.

With that, he hung up on her.

"Ouch," Yuffie muttered.

MEANWHILE...

Seven people were standing at the gate that separated them from the front lawn of the Translator's house. All had relieved themselves of all weapons, and were now waiting for the gate to open. All had thumb drives in their pockets, and all were there in hopes of having their codes cracked. All were aware that only those who made it to the Translator's office would have their codes cracked, and that not everyone standing at the gate would live to see the sun set.

There was Quinn, who wanted to see if his company was preparing to fire him.

There was Sana, who had hacked into her boyfriend's computer to see if he had been cheating on her.

There was Jackson, a high school student who wanted to know how to change his grades.

There was Egbert, who was there for the fame.

There was Reka, who was there for the thrill.

There was Cloud, who only wanted to support his fiancee.

There was Tifa, who only wanted to find her father.

There was a sign to the left of the gate that was more or less self-explanatory: THE TRANSLATOR'S HOUSE-ENTER AT YOUR OWN RISK. Beyond the sign, there was a fenced in yard in which the Translator's house occupied. From the outside, it did not appear to be anything more than a typical two story house. The interior would be another matter.

At that moment, the gate opened, allowing the seven to test their fate. Instinctively, they all made their way to the front door.

Jackson mounted the stoop and proceeded to open the door. It was locked. He then rang the doorbell. There was no response. Finally, he slammed his body into the door. Nothing happened.

"Shit," he muttered.

"This might not be the only way in," Quinn suggested.

"What do you mean?" asked Jackson.

"Let's check for any windows we can open from the outside," Reka suggested.

The seven of them browsed the front of the house. There were three on the left side and two on the right, but none of them could be opened externally. The west side of the house had the same kind of windows. the east side had no windows at all. That simply left the back as the only possible entrance.

Out back, there were four more windows that could only be opened from the inside, along with a patio that was locked rather well.

"This is hopeless!" sighed Sana.

"Hold on," Quinn said as he pointed to the ground. "Look!"

Near the ground, there were two pits, each about two feet deep. Each pit had a window that was not like the others.

"Can we get in through there?" asked Reka.

"One way to find out!" replied Quinn as he hopped into the pit. Moments later, he pressed against the window, and it opened.

"So that's it," Sana observed.

"We start in the basement," Jackson added.

One by one, the seven of them climbed through the window, and slid down the slide that had been conveniently waiting for them.

The basement below seemed to be the size of two-thirds of the house. It was lit by two simple lights, and had shelves and tiles, but was otherwise unfurnished.

At the end of the shelves was a metal device that appeared to be a heat pump. As the seven of them walked by, they noticed a window in the device, where a black snake-like pipe extended from the ground and curved to the left.

Soon, Reka reached the other end of the basement, followed by Egbert, Jackson, Tifa, Cloud, and Sana. Each of them turned, and a troubling sight greeted their eyes.

Quinn was standing in the middle of the basement, his eyes fixated on the curved, black pipe. He seemed unable to move.

"What's wrong?" asked Reka.

"I need help," Quinn said.

Moments later, within a split second, Quinn's body appeared to stretch grossly out of proportion before disappearing into the pipe.

"Quinn?" shouted Egbert. "Quinn!"

"That thing sucked him up!" exclaimed Sana.

"Well," shouted Egbert, "where the fuck is he?!"

"He's dead," Sana replied.

"What do you mean, 'he's dead?!'" demanded Cloud.

"It's called the matter pump," Sana explained. "It sucks you up and disintegrates you, atom by atom."

"Ouch," commented Reka.

"Let's get out of this basement!" Egbert insisted.

To the right of them was an orange curtain where a wall should be; it's left side touched the metal heat pump-like device. To the right of that were stairs that led to the ground level. Slowly, unsure of what to expect, the six survivors made their way over.

And then, a black snake-like object appeared from behind the curtain.

"It's the pump!" Reka and Sana shouted in unison.

"I say we all get our asses out of the basement!" Cloud declared.

"Second!" shouted Sana.

Tifa was the first to grab the wooden bannister and make her way up the wooden basement stairs. And then, she felt an electric shock on her hip. She quickly turned to see where it was coming from; one of the brackets that was holding up the bannister.

"Shit!" she exclaimed as she darted past the bracket. "Cloud, be careful! Those brackets shock you!"

Cloud followed Tifa up, only to be shocked by the same bracket.

"Everybody," Tifa began, "run!"

The six of them darted up the stairs as fast as they could. The three brackets holding the bannister up seemed to be having a field day, shocking each and every person who ran by.

Moments later, it was over. The six survivors stood in the kitchen

"I can't take this anymore!" Sana sobbed as she immediately made her way to the kitchen table and sat down, straddling the chair and resting her head on the back of it. She was facing the front door, and an ominous feeling began to pulse through her body.

And then, the front door creaked open. In came seven animatronic animals, marching in single file toward Sana. Five of them were horses, colored in red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple. A pink pig led them all.

And they all chanted in unison: "Ha-cha-cha-cha-cha-cha-cha-cha-hit!"

The moment the "hit!" was called, the pig hit Sana and came to a stop.

Reka immediately came over to check. On closer inspection, Sana was dead; the pig had pierced her heart with a blade. Reka immediately shuddered away.

"I want to get out of here!" Reka stammered in a shaky voice.

"We'll get through this," Tifa assured her.

The kitchen was bordered by a dining room to the west and a family room to the east. The five survivors entered the dining room first; there seemed to be nothing out of the ordinary. The room was decorated with a table and chairs, along with a hutch and drysink.

"God only knows what's in here," Egbert muttered.

Almost as if in response, the drysink began to rumble.

"IN HERE," it repeated, in a low, robotic voice.

It then started rumbling, hobbling in Egbert's direction.

The five of them quickly ran to the south through the living room, the east through the foyer with the stairs to the second floor, and finally into the family room.

Egbert strayed the furthest from the group, stopping at the north side of the family room. He looked into the kitchen and then toward the foyer. To the east was a laundry room, with a menacing looking closet at the end.

"I think it gave up," he sighed.

That would prove to be a fatal mistake. A moment later, the closet door opened, and out came an upright vacuum, immediately pursuing Egbert.

"Here comes sweeper!" it announced. "Here comes sweeper!"

Before Egbert had time to react, the vacuum bumped into his feet. A moment later, Egbert disappeared below the vacuum, atom by atom.

"Shit!" shouted Cloud. "Upstairs, now!"

The four survivors quickly ran up the stairs to the second floor. Tifa suddenly felt a shock on her left hip, and realized that there were more brackets holding the bannister up.

"Go up!" Cloud shouted.

Tifa, Cloud, Jackson, and Reka quickly charged up the stairs, each taking shocks along the way.

At the top of the stairs, there were four closed doors in a long hallway.

"I think it's safe to say the Translator's behind one of those doors," Jackson suggested.

"But which one?" asked Cloud.

"One way to find out," Tifa said.

"I'll bet on that one," said Cloud, pointing to the far west, at the other end of the hall.

"What makes you say that?" asked Reka.

"Because it's the farthest from here," Cloud replied as he walked to the door and opened it.

Inside, there was a dresser and a twin bed; this appeared to be a child's room.

And then, the dresser suddenly began hobbling towards Cloud, producing a repetitive low tone as it did so.

Cloud quickly shut the door.

"I guess not," he sighed.

Jackson, meanwhile, was standing near the northern hallway door.

"Maybe this one?" he suggested as he opened the door.

Inside, there was a crib and a fabric rocking chair with buttons that almost looked like a face; this was obviously a baby room.

Jackson took a few steps in and scanned the room.

"He's not here," he muttered.

"NOT HERE," repeated the rocking chair in a low robotic voice as it immediatly came after Jackson, making the same noise as the dresser did in the other room. Jackson turned to run, but the rocking chair quickly hit him from behind. Jackson fell backward, and quickly jerked for a few moments before toppling over dead. The rocking chair had electrocuted him.

Reka quickly closed the door and covered her mouth in horror. She fell to her knees and began to cry.

"I-I just want to go home!" she sobbed.

Tifa knelt down next to her.

"There's just two rooms left," she began calmly. "And he's in one of them. It's almost over, I promise."

With that, Tifa helped Reka to her feet.

"Wait a minute," Reka pointed out. "You're Tifa Lockheart!"

"That's me," she replied.

"And you're Cloud Strife!" she added. "I was always hoping to meet you. I just didn't recognize you because I was expecting a crop top."

"Yeah, about that," Tifa replied, "I've had a wardrobe change. Not everyone liked it."

"Well, I liked it," Reka said. "I even started wearing them because of you." She then scanned the pants Tifa was wearing. "Cute jeans, though."

The three of them stood silently for a moment.

"Okay, I think I'm ready," Reka continued.

She then turned her attention to the southern door. Cautiously, she opened it.

Inside, there was a queen-sized bed, a dresser, a chest, a highboy, and a night table. This was the master bedroom.

Reka was the first to cautiously enter. She turned to look at Cloud and Tifa as if to say, "nobody say a thing!"

She scanned the room, finding no sign of the Translator.

She turned around to leave the room.

And then, she caused the floor to creak.

It was the highboy that came after her. Before anyone could react, it charged toward Reka and intentionally fell on top of her, crushing her to death.

Cloud quickly closed the door.

Tifa needed to gather herself for a moment. Once she had, she directed her attention to the eastern door. She slowly walked over to it.

"The process of elimination places him in here," she said.

"Alright," Cloud agreed. "Lets get this over with."

Preparing for anything, Tifa opened the door.

Beyond the door was a room that appeared to be some sort of office. There was a desk and computer, along with shelves full of books across one of the walls. At the desk was seated a man who appeared to be in his early forties. He looked at Cloud and Tifa, and smiled.

"Welcome," the Translator greeted.

"Tobias Ryan?" Tifa gasped.

"That's me," he replied.

Tifa sighed in relief as Cloud quickly shut the door behind him, sealing the three of them from all of the household horrors.

"It looks like you went through a lot of trouble to find me," the Translator pointed out.

"That would be an understatement," Cloud said.

"What brings you here, anyway?" the Translator then asked.

Tifa decided to get to the point.

"I'm looking for my father," she replied.

"I must say, this is a rather interesting place to look for your father," the Translator replied. "All I can say is that it's not me. We don't look much alike."

"I know who my father is," Tifa said. "It's his whereabouts I'm trying to find." She then pulled the thumb drive from her jeans pocket. "I've obtained a Shinra code I haven't been able to decipher."

"Well," said the Translator, "you've come to the right place."

Tifa handed the Translator the thumb drive, and he inserted it into the port.

"So where are you two from?" he asked as he typed on the keyboard.

"Nibelheim," Cloud replied.

The Translator briefly stopped typing, and made eye contact with them.

"Wait a minute," he said. "You're Cloud Strife and Tifa Lockheart, aren't you?"

"That would be us," Tifa replied.

"Wow," the Translator said as he resumed his typing. "Thanks for saving us all."

"Don't mention it," Tifa said.

"Maybe I can...uh-oh..."

The Translator stopped typing, and stared into the computer screen.

Tifa clutched Cloud's hand; she knew by now that this was never a good sign.

"It's not showing where my father is, is it?" she asked.

The Translator shook his head.

"No, it's showing where he is. But it isn't good."

Tifa's heart fluttered; despite what he had said, it was the best news in days. Her father had finally been located.

"W-where is he?" she asked.

_Tell me,_ she thought, _and I'll go get him today!_

"They took him to Facility Number Six," the Translator informed her, his eyes still glued to the computer screen.

"Facility Number Six?" Tifa asked; she had never heard of it before.

"Ever hear of that place?" the Translator asked.

Both Cloud and Tifa shook their heads in unison.

"Is he still there?" she asked him.

"There's no more transfer records," the Translator replied. "There's no death records either. He's alive, and he's there."

Tifa let out a very audible sigh of relief and clapped her hands together before turning to Cloud.

"Let's get him!" she commanded enthusiastically.

"Facility Number Six?!" exclaimed the Translator. "A. K. A. the Island Gulag?! You're better off going back through my funhouse and getting yourself killed! It's quicker and less painful!"

"They have live dressers and vacuums, too?" Tifa asked skeptically.

"That would be nice," the Translator replied sarcastically. "Ever hear of a makonoid?"

"We fought twelve and survived," Tifa answered.

"Well," continued the Translator, "I suppose you're wondering where they came from?"

"Let me guess," Tifa said. "Facility Number Six?"

"Bingo," answered the Translator. "Do you two have any idea what goes on over there?"

Cloud shook his head.

Tifa displayed a nervous look on her face.

"They do experiments on people there," the Translator informed them. "They turn human beings into...things."

Tifa's face suddenly turned red with anger.

"Did they...do something to him?!" she demanded.

"I doubt it," the Translator replied. "According to the records, no."

"So where is it?" Tifa asked.

"I dunno," the Translater replied. "It's well hidden.

"Well hidden?" asked Tifa.

"You won't even find that info in any Shinra files," the Translator continued. "Only certain Shinra executives knew where that is."

"And they're all dead," Tifa sighed.

"With the Shinra gone," the Translator added, "the facility probably fell into the new government's hands."

Tifa's eyes widened.

"Ever since I started looking for my father," she continued, "I've been attacked every day. It seems like the Continental Governor is behind it."

"Really?" asked the Translator. "If that's the case, then the facility has to be somewhere on the Western Continent. Or at least in their jurisdiction."

And then, it hit Tifa like a kick in the head.

"That's why we got attacked!" she exclaimed. "They don't want us finding out where the Island Gulag is!"

"You got it," the Translator said. "It probably generates a lot of revenue."

"It all makes sense now," Tifa continued. "If we find the Island Gulag, it gets shut down, and Bismark loses money."

"I see it looks like we've come to a big lead," the Translator said.

"Agreed," said Tifa. "Thanks for all your help."

"My pleasure," the Translator said.

He then pressed a button, causing a bookshelf to rotate ninety degrees and revealing their means of exit.

"A slide?" Tifa asked skeptically.

"Unless you want to go back through the house," the Translator warned.

"I'd rather not," dismissed Tifa.

Moments later, Cloud and Tifa took the slide, landing outside the fence.

The slide then retracted.

Cloud sighed as they began to walk away.

"I'd rather take a stick in the eye than go anywhere near that house again!" he replied.

Tifa gave a "me, too" hand signal.

With one more glimpse, she could see more people lined up at the gate.


	12. The Revelation

Premonitions II: Crisis Core

Chapter 12: The Revelation

Wednesday, January 30, 0008

Three Days Until the Wedding

12:45 p.m.

"What are those?" asked Shera, as she noticed a bottle of pills on Cid's kitchen table.

"Nothing," Cid replied.

Shera folded her arms and gave him a cross look.

"Are those sleeping pills?" she asked.

"No," he sheepishly replied.

"Don't lie to me!" she ordered.

"Yes," he admitted. "I wanted to sleep through the next few days."

"Why?" she asked him.

"Because this wait is killing me," Cid replied.

Shera sat down and sighed.

"It's only four more days, Cid," she pointed out.

"It's gonna feel like four years," he sighed.

Realizing that she was not reaching him, Shera took his hand and smiled.

"You know Cloud and Tifa might need you over the next four days," she pointed out. "They've been attacked every day since Tifa started looking for her dad."

"I think she's crazy," Cid grunted.

"Me, too," Shera agreed. "But she's still our friend."

Cid sighed. He glanced at the sleeping pills again, and gave Shera a frustrated look.

"Why'd you have to be seventeen?" he groaned.

Shera gave him another cross look.

"You still like me for who I am, don't you?" she asked.

"You bet your ass," he replied.

Shera smiled, and placed her hand on his cheek.

"Hang in there," she assured him. "Four more days, and my ass will be bare for your pleasure."

MEANWHILE...

1:00 p.m.

Cloud and Tifa walked, hand in hand, towards the spot where the Highwind was parked.

Tifa seemed more relieved than she had been for a long time. In fact, she was somewhat smiling. Yet there was already something on her mind.

"The Island Gulag," she began. "I could have sworn I heard about it from somewhere before. But where?"

As Cloud and Tifa were nearing the Highwind, they both saw a figure closing in on them.

Cloud noticed that he looked exactly like him, only his hair was blue. Other than that, their resemblance was uncanny. If this stranger dyed his hair blond, it would be impossible to tell them apart.

Yet the way he was approaching was not in a friendly manner. He was most certainly pursuing them.

And yet, someone recognized him.

"Karnak?!" exclaimed Tifa.

"You know this guy?" Cloud asked in surprise.

"When I trained for martial arts when I was sixteen, he...um…"

"I demonstrated how deadly I am," Karnak interrupted, stopping mere feet from the couple.

"So he's not a good guy?" Cloud inquired.

Tifa shook her head.

It was that moment that Cloud noticed a buster sword on Karnak's back as well.

"What do you want," he demanded.

"You are in no position to inquire," Karnak taunted.

"I have a buster sword just as much as you do," Cloud announced.

"That would be an interesting contest," Karnak observed. "But, fortunately, it shouldn't have to come to that. I simply have a message for Tifa."

"What is it?" she asked, though she already knew the answer.

"Stop now," Karnak commanded. "This is the third day in a row that you nearly got yourselves killed. That should be a warning enough."

"That's only because you're hiding something," Tifa retorted.

Karnak sighed.

"What did curiosity do to the cat?" he inquired.

"I'm sorry," Tifa rebuffed, "but I won't stop until I find him."

"You're going to regret saying that," Karnak warned her.

And then, Karnak smacked her in the face.

Cloud immediately drew his buster sword.

"You touch her again, and that hand's coming off!" he threatened.

Karnak smiled.

"Well, then," he responded, "perhaps we should settle this like gentlemen."

Karnak drew his buster sword before turning to Tifa.

"If you know what's good for you, you'll stand back," he warned.

"Do it," Cloud ordered.

"But I-"

"You have no defense against his sword!" Cloud pointed out.

Defeated, Tifa stepped back.

Karnak immediately charged Cloud. He swung his buster sword, causing it to hit Cloud's with such force that it knocked it out of his hands. It hit the ground and began to spin, slowly moving away. Finally, the sword stopped.

"Pick it up!" ordered Karnak as he pointed his sword at Cloud.

Cloud cautiously picked the sword up and gripped it. This time, he was the first to charge. He darted towards Karnak, swinging his buster sword with all his might at Karnak's. Moments later, Cloud's sword fell backwards from his hands, landing on the ground and nearly hitting Tifa.

Cloud picked up his sword again. He then turned to see Karnak a mere two feet away.

Karnak quickly swiped his buster sword again, causing Cloud's sword to fly out of his hands once more.

"Enough of this," Karnak announced.

"Are you going to kill me over this?" Cloud demanded.

"It would be no fun to kill you," Karnak dismissed. "You're the same Cloud Strife who defeated Sephiroth, yet you don't seem to know the back end of your buster sword from the front!"

"Sorry to be a letdown," Cloud said sarcastically.

Karnak put his sword away and turned to Tifa.

"Is it worth it?" he taunted.

"You bet your ass," Cloud answered for her.

"This is the only warning I'll ever give you," Karnak said. "Your father is dead!"

"Go to fuckin' hell!" Cloud retorted. "I know who you work for. I know she's hiding something."

"I'm not doing this for the Continental Governor," Karnak dismissed. With that, he walked off.

Tifa ran over to Cloud and threw her arms around him.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

"I'm fine," he replied.

"I don't want to get you killed," Tifa added in a somewhat shaky voice.

Moments later, Cloud and Tifa quietly boarded the Highwind.

"At least we know he's alive," Tifa said as she sat down on the bridge.

"I think its obvious," Cloud said. "Karnak runs the Island Gulag."

"Why could he be trying to hide it?" Tifa asked.

"I remember now," Tifa suddenly said. "I remember because there was one other person who was looking for the Island Gulag."

"Who was that?" asked Cloud.

"My cousin," Tifa replied. "Tobin."

"Was he looking for your dad?"

Tifa shook her head. "I don't know. I never knew Papa was there until now."

"Did he find it?"

"I don't know, either," she replied. "I haven't talked to him since the raid on the Sector One Reactor. He came by while you guys were out."

"I think we just found another lead," Cloud said.

"I'm texting Tobin now," Tifa announced. "If he's found out where the Island Gulag is, my father will be home by tomorrow."

Moments later, her phone buzzed.

"What did he say?" asked Cloud.

Tifa shook her head.

"It wasn't Tobin," she replied. "It was Elena."

"She and Tseng are inviting us to a double date at the diner."

"At a time like this?" Cloud asked skeptically.

"There's nothing more we can do today," Tifa replied. "Tobin has to get back to me. If he knows where the Island Gulag is, we'll go there tomorrow."

Cloud nodded in agreement. After what they had gone through that day, they could certainly use a break.


	13. A Date

Premonitions II: Crisis Core

Chapter 13: A Date

Wednesday, January 31, 0008

Three Days Until the Wedding

6:00 p.m.

Barret walked into the North Corel inn to find Jessie laying on her side, crunched in a ball. His lit-up cell phone revealed that she was not crying, but her eyes were red. Nearby was a notepad with the number forty-two written on it. There were also previous numbers crossed off.

"You've been in the fetal position all day?" Barret inquired.

"Maybe," she groaned without looking at him.

"What's the forty-two mean?" he asked her.

"That's the number of days I've outlived my original death date," Jessie replied.

Barret quietly sat down next to her feet on the bed.

"I died in the original timeline, too, y'know," he pointed out.

"I know," Jessie said. "Nine years from now. Not to mention Bestla can't kill you anymore. She was so not nice she had to die twice."

"The timeline can't fight back perfectly," he said. "All the people in Junon...they can't come back."

Jessie was silent for a moment.

"I can't force your mind to think more positive," Barret began.

"No shit," Jessie sighed.

Barret then took a look at the sad Jessie.

"I have an idea," he said.

Jessie then made eye contact with him.

"An idea?" she asked. "What kind of idea?"

"You'll see tomorrow," he replied. "But in the meantime, are you sure you wouldn't rather stay on my couch?"

Jessie was again silent.

"You'll be somewhere lit, and within feet of people who care 'bout you," he added.

"I suppose," Jessie agreed. "Alright, you win."

And she stood up.

LATER...

7:00 p.m.

Cloud, Tifa, Tseng, and Elena had all just finished their dinner at the diner in Nibelheim.

"Thanks for inviting us out, you guys," Tifa said in gratitude.

"Don't mention it," Tseng replied. "I figured we should have a formal double date...away from Costa del Luna."

"Yeah," Cloud said sheepishly. "Sorry about that."

Elena blushed and put her hands to her face.

"I can't believe you guys saw my boobs!"

"Well," Cloud began, but then he ended; his elbow bumped his drinking water, causing the glass to spill onto Tifa's lap.

"Cloud, that water is freezing!" she exclaimed.

"Sorry!" Cloud apologized as he frantically pulled napkins from the dispenser

"That's not funny!" Tifa protested as she dried herself. "It's spilled on my pants!"

"What's the big deal?" asked Elena. "In seventy-two hours, you won't be wearing any anyway!"

Tifa blushed slightly as she continued to dry her jeans off.

Elena's face suddenly became serious.

"Actually, there is something we want to talk to you two about," she began.

"What's that?" asked Cloud.

"We think we have a honeymoon spot for you guys," Tseng announced.

"Really?" Tifa asked as she finished drying. "Tell me."

"It's a private island," Elena replied. "Off the southern coast. It's privately owned, but you can pay a fee to go there. It has a cabin and everything."

"A helicopter shuttles you there," added Tseng, "and you to spend a week on the island. Just the two of you."

Tifa smiled.

"I'd like that," she said.

"But that's not even the best part," Elena continued. "You can spend you're whole time there naked."

Tifa began to blush.

"You can go naked there?!" she exclaimed.

"We did," Elena replied, slightly blushing. "We were in the buff the entire time, even when we were watching Meteor fall, and when the Lifestream emerged. I just thought, 'hell, we were born naked, so why not die in the same state?' But I'll tell you; feeling his skin against mine made everything feel easier."

Tseng shoved her leg with his own; it was too much information.

"Sorry," Elena apologized. "But you should do it. I mean, you've waited twenty years to see each other naked. Why not spend a week together without a strip of clothing on and make the most of it?"

Tseng nudged her again.

Meanwhile, Cloud and Tifa briefly looked at each other. The both nodded and turned back to the other couple.

"Actually, I kind of like that idea," Tifa said with a smile. Then her smile faded.

"But?" asked Elena, knowing that something was on Tifa's mind.

"I ordered a crop top that reads "Wifey" on it," Tifa replied. "It just arrived today. I was going to wear it for the honeymoon."

"You can always go cartoon animal style," Elena suggested.

"Cartoon animal style?" asked the perplexed Tifa.

"Shirt, no pants," Elena clarified.

"Oh," said Tifa.

"A lot of people on Costa del Luna were doing it," Elena pointed out. "It protects them from the sun and it catches sweat."

At that moment, the waiter appeared, prompting the four of them to end the somewhat steamy conversation.

"Excuse me, Miss Lockheart?" he asked.

"Yes?"

"Your credit card has been declined," he replied.

"I know I paid it," she sighed as she pulled another one from her wallet. "Try this one."

The waiter went and tried it, but ended up with the same results. Tifa gave him a third one, but that one failed as well.

"Why are all my credit cards going bad?" she asked rhetorically.

"Don't worry," Cloud assured her. "I've got cash."

Tifa smiled, but her mind was still troubled.

_It's a message from Karnak,_ she thought. _It means "stop."_

LATER...

8:00 p.m.

Tseng and Elena entered their house. Elena stood in the foyer as Tseng silently shut the door.

"I did it again, didn't I?" Elena asked sheepishly.

"What?" asked Tseng.

"Ran my mouth too much," she clarified.

"Not really," he assured her. "That's what we invited them out to tell them."

Elena nodded.

"It must be a pain in the ass to search for your dad and plan a wedding in the same week."

"Agreed," Tseng said. "Listen, I have a couple of things to check. I'll be upstairs in a few minutes."

Elena mounted the stairs to the bedroom, pondering how the week was going.

_I'm really glad it worked out this way,_ she thought. _I was always hoping to become friends with them._

She then realized something else.

_Tifa's never had a girl for a friend. I'm happy to be her first. Maybe I can even be...her best friend. After Cloud, that is._

She reached the top of the stairs and entered the bedroom.

_And Tseng and I,_ she wondered._ I wonder what's going to become of us? Maybe we could get married someday_, she thought. _Just maybe._

Stripping to her underwear, Elena sat down on the bed, awaiting Tseng's return.

MEANWHILE...

9:00 p.m.

Tifa sat at her laptop, clicking in frustration.

"The internet's down," she muttered. "And my phone."

"My phone still works," Cloud pointed out as he checked his own.

It did not take her all that long to realize what was going on.

"He's getting to me, then," Tifa sighed.

"Who?" he asked.

"Karnak. Now Tobin can't text me back," she groaned in frustration.

Cloud placed his arm around his fiancée.

"We could always go see him in person," he suggested.

Tifa squeezed his hand.

"I don't know where he lives now," she replied.

"Doesn't your Uncle Albert still have that farm outside of Gongaga?" he asked.

"He does," she replied. "But I don't think he lives there anymore. Tobin's two years older than me."

"I'm sure Uncle Albert knows," Cloud suggested. "I mean, he's his father. What've we got to lose by asking him?"

Tifa nodded.

"Okay, it's decided," she said. "We'll see my Uncle Albert tomorrow morning. He'll lead us to Tobin, and, with a little luck, he'll lead us to the Island Gulag."

She then stood up, turned around, and pulled Cloud up with her.

"So, Cloud," she began. "What do you think of Elena's idea?"

"You mean the private island?" he asked.

Tifa nodded.

"I like it," he replied. "It's practically the only place on the planet that we haven't been to already."

She smiled at him.

"We don't have to be naked the whole time," he added.

"Actually," Tifa said, "I'd kind of like that."

Cloud's eyes widened. He knew she would want to have sex on their wedding night, but to be naked for a whole week...

"Surprised?" Tifa asked with a smile. "Elena was right, Cloud. We've waited twenty years for this. I want to make the most of it. I want us to be butt naked together the whole time."

Cloud was silent. This didn't seem a lot like Tifa, who wouldn't even change her clothes in front of another woman.

"And," she continued as she took his hand, "I want to feel your skin against mine. Do you know how good of a feeling that's going to be?"

Cloud nodded.

"It's a private island, Cloud," she reminded him. "Nobody's going to see us."

He nodded again.

"Are you uncomfortable?" she asked. "Trust me, I'm a little nervous, too."

Cloud shook his head.

"I still just can't believe it," he said. "In three more days, we'll see each other naked for the first time."

Tifa smiled.

"We know everything about each other except for what we look like naked."

"Or cartoon animal style," Cloud added.

Tifa giggled.

"You're okay if I wear my 'Wifey' crop top a couple of days, right?" she asked.

"Of course," he answered. "Cartoon animal style."

"I could have sworn I heard that term before," she added. "But I can't, for the life of me, remember where."

She did not let that get to her. Despite her apprehension, she looked forward to spending a week with Cloud wearing nothing but her earrings and necklace.

And her "Wifey" crop top for a day or two.

SOMEWHERE ELSE...

9:30 p.m.

"Done it," Lechar announced. "I've hacked into her cell phone, her credit cards, and her internet."

"Congratulations," Karnak said sarcastically. "She didn't need any of those defeating Sephiroth. There's no she had to go to."

Anez started to giggle.

"Shut up!" Karnak snapped.

The four of them were seated at the table in the blue room again.

"Besides," Karnak continued, "does anyone here remember the last person who discovered where we are?"

"Tobin Lockheart?" answered Lechar.

"Very good," replied Karnak. "Now start with clues, such as same last name."

"Her brother?" suggested Anez. "Cousin? Ex-husband?"

"The second one," Karnak confirmed.

"You realize, sir," continued Lechar, "Tobin could also lead her here."

"I know," Karnak said. "He might have told her. If he has, she'll come here. I'm afraid our secrecy's been compromised."

"What do we do, then?" asked Lechar.

"The answer's fairly simple," Karnak replied. "We kill her tomorrow."

"Why wait?" Anez protested. "Let's get it over with right now!"

"No, Anus!" retorted Karnak, causing the other two to giggle.

"Anez," he corrected.

"If we kill her now," Karnak continued, "in front of everyone, we turn the whole world against us. Not to mention, we get caught by the Continental Governor. We have to catch her in private. She'll be beaten to death."

"You're not actually going to hit a girl, are you?" asked Anez.

Karnak simply turned to the muscular woman next to him.

MEANWHILE...

10:00 p.m.

"Elena?" asked Tseng. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," replied Elena softly, her head on his bare chest.

Tseng was skeptical; it almost looked as if there were tears in her eyes. He had been laying there, gently rubbing Elena's bare back. Her hair was really starting to grow longer, and now seemed like a blanket running down her back.

"You seem uneasy," he continued.

"I just have a really bad feeling," she replied, "that something bad's going to happen tomorrow. To Tifa."

Tseng pulled his girlfriend up until her face was at the same level as his.

"Sorry," she apologized. "I know it's not the best after-sex subject, but something just feels wrong about tomorrow."

Tseng stroked her hair gently before kissing her.

Although she loved his affection, she did not find it reassuring.

_Something's going to happen tomorrow,_ she thought. _Something's going to happen._


	14. Uncle Albert's Farm

Premonitions II: Crisis Core

Chapter 14: Uncle Albert's Farm

Thursday, February 1, 0008

Two Days Until the Wedding

9:00 a.m.

Yuffie paced around in circles as she listened to the ringtone. She had called another frenemy of hers, and was impatiently waiting for him to answer. The wedding was only two days away, and she still did not have a date. Now she was becoming concerned.

"Hello?" a male voice answered.

"Darin!" she happily exclaimed, feeling relieved.

"Yuffie?" he asked in surprise.

"It's me!" she replied.

"I haven't seen you in school in weeks!" Darin said. "Where have you been?"

"Oh," replied Yuffie, somewhat annoyed by Darin's naivety. "I've been around."

"So what's up?" he asked.

"I called to ask you something," she announced.

"Shoot," he approved.

"Would you like to go to Cloud and Tifa's wedding with me?"

"Why?" he replied scornfully. "So you can sneak back to my house and raid it?"

He then hung up the phone.

"Dammit," Yuffie muttered. "Isn't there anyone I stole from who still trusts me?"

MEANWHILE...

10:00 a.m.

The farm stood alone on the plains outside Gongaga. It was literally out in the middle of nowhere; not in the sense that this was a farming community, but in the sense that the farm was the only shred of civilization surrounded by nothing at all. The boundaries of the farm seemed like the end of the world.

Cloud and Tifa slowly walked up the lane to the farm house. To the right was the steer barn, and beyond the house was the pig sty. The rest of the farm was crops.

"I can't even remember the last time I've been here," Tifa sighed.

"I'm sure he'll be happy to see you," Cloud said as they approached the front door.

"I'm just hoping he's home," Tifa replied. "I can't call him."

"Well," replied Cloud, "there's only one way to find out."

Tifa nodded as she knocked on the old metal door. Moments later, the door opened, and a stout man in farm clothes appeared.

"Tifa?!" he greeted in a low raspy voice.

"Uncle Albert!" Tifa greeted as she threw her arms around him.

"How long has it been?" he asked as he hugged her back.

"Too long," she happily replied.

"And is that your old friend Cloud I'm seeing?" he asked.

"We're engaged," Tifa said happily.

"Engaged?!" Uncle Albert exclaimed. "That's amazing. Come on in!"

Uncle Albert led them through the foyer and the kitchen to a sitting room with an old-fashioned stove in it.

"This is a pleasant surprise," Aunt Lara said from the sofa. "I'm sorry if I didn't get any calls. You know how the reception is out here."

"My phone's been hacked," Tifa replied as she and Cloud sat down. "I wouldn't be able to call you anyway."

They continued to talk for an hour. Tifa had not forgotten that her purpose of the visit was to find out through Tobin where the Island Gulag was. She made one or two attempts to lead up to it, but her aunt and uncle simply seemed too happy to see her. Finally, she could no longer resist.

"Can I talk to Tobin?" Tifa requested. "There's something important that he knows."

Uncle Albert frowned. He ran his hands over his beard as Aunt Lara closed her eyes.

"Tobin's missing," Albert explained.

"Missing?!" Tifa asked.

"We haven't heard from him in weeks," Aunt Lara added. "Not since Meteor was summoned."

"What happened?" asked Tifa.

"He just disappeared," Uncle Albert replied. "Mind you, this was when Meteor was summoned. A lot of people were doing weird things because of that."

"Is there anyone who might know where he went?" Tifa asked. "Any friends or anyone else?"

Uncle Albert shook his head.

"Tobin doesn't really have friends," he replied. "He's always been kind of a loner."

"He's been out of school for a while," Aunt Lara added. "Once you're out of school, friends tend to drop like flies. But he didn't have that many, even when he was in school. Do you know he's never had a girlfriend?"

"No," Tifa replied, "I didn't. But, then again, I never had a boyfriend until Cloud and I were together."

"There was one girl he liked in high school," Uncle Albert said. "He went to the prom with her, but they never dated after that."

"Poor Tobin," Tifa sighed.

"I wouldn't have approved of her anyway," Aunt Lara added. "She used to giggle and try to have fun at the most inappropriate times."

Tifa immediately placed her hand on Cloud's shoulder for support.

"That has a familiar ring to it," Cloud muttered.

"The only friend he might still be in contact with would be his best friend and roommate," Albert continued.

"His best friend and roommate?" Tifa asked.

"Yeah," Albert continued. "She still lives in Cosmo Canyon. Maybe she knows where he is. Maybe she doesn't. I can't say."

"I suppose we can head there next," Tifa decided.

"I'll give you the address," Aunt Lara said.

"When is the wedding, anyway?" asked Uncle Albert.

"This Saturday," Tifa replied. "In Nibelheim. Of course, you're all invited."

"No worries," Albert said. "Aunt Lara and I will be there. Tobin, I don't know."

"I'll make sure I find him," Tifa assured them. "And my father. I've actually tracked my father's location to the Island Gulag. I plan on going there to take him home once I find out where it is."

Uncle Albert's eyes became troubled.

"Tifa," he began, "I've heard about that place. You know what goes on there?"

Tifa nodded.

"I've been praying every day that Tobin didn't go there," Lara added. "Is that why you wanted to see him? Because he might know where it is?"

Tifa nodded again.

"Well," continued Lara, "he might."

"Surely you don't think this is what your father would want, do you?" Uncle Albert asked. "You could get captured and experimented on."

"I know it's possible," Tifa admitted. "But I also know it's possible I can bring him home in time to walk me down the aisle."

"I've already lost my brother," Uncle Albert said. "Losing my niece would break me."

"I'll be careful," Tifa insisted. "I promise."

"So was Brian," Albert retorted ominously. "And so was Tobin."

SOMEWHERE ELSE...

11:00 a.m.

Karnak and Yesha knelt, remaining hidden in the tall grass near the northern boundary of Cloud and Tifa's backyard. The former had binoculars in his hands, pointed at the windows.

"I'll be damned," Karnak muttered. "Nobody's home."

"They have to come home sometime," Yesha mentioned.

"Where we can't kill her," Karnak pointed out. "We'll have to ambush he while she's away."

"Then where could they have gone?" asked Yesha.

"I believe that can be determined by simple investigation and reasoning," Karnak replied.

MEANWHILE...

11:30 a.m.

"WOW!" exclaimed Jessie as she stepped off the tram. "I've always wanted to go to Gold Saucer! But I've never been."

Barret stepped off of the tram behind her.

"Well," he said with a smile, "that just changed."


	15. The Roommate

Premonitions II: Crisis Core

Chapter 15: The Roommate

Thursday, February 1, 0008

Two Days Until the Wedding

12:00 p.m.

Karnak and Yesha trekked up the lane that led to Uncle Albert's farm.

"My God," muttered Yesha in disgust. "Who would live in a place like this?"

"Low people," Karnak replied. "The world's filth live in places like these."

"She better be here," Yesha grunted. "I want to beat her to death and get the fuck out of here."

"That pigpen would be the perfect place to leave her body," Karnak pointed out. "Maybe they'll eat her body."

At that moment, a tractor pulled up to the intruders and stopped a mere yard from them.

"Excuse me!" shouted Uncle Albert in a less than welcoming voice. "This is a private residence!"

"My apologies," Karnak replied. "I'm looking for someone."

"My Mrs. and I are the only ones here," Uncle Albert retorted. "And I don't know you."

"We're actually looking for Tifa Lockheart," Karnak explained. "Aren't you her uncle?"

"Well," replied Albert, slightly calmer, "that depends on why you're asking."

"I'm president of the fan club," Karnak lied. "And this is my vice president. I got reports she's here right now. I just wanted to ask her a few questions."

Uncle Albert grunted.

"My niece has a fan club already?"

"You bet!" Karnak replied. "She did save the world."

"I'm afraid she's no longer here," Uncle Albert replied.

"Not here?" asked Karnak.

"She went off somewhere," Uncle Albert explained. "I'm not at liberty to say."

Aunt Lara then exited the farmhouse with a rifle in her hands.

"Now I suggest you two get off my property," Uncle Albert warned.

MEANWHILE...

12:10 p.m.

Cloud and Tifa entered Cosmo Canyon to see a familiar face standing by the Cosmo Candle.

"You guys!" greeted Red XIII as he ran over to him. "What brings you here? Don't you have a wedding to plan?"

"That also," Tifa replied.

Red XIII's face became serious.

"You're father," he remembered out loud. "I'm sorry. I don't have any leads, I'm afraid. But I'll help you in any way I can."

"Thank you," Tifa replied.

"Don't mention it," Red XIII insisted. "You deserve to have your father walk you down the aisle."

"Red XIII," began Tifa, "did you ever know a guy named Tobin Lockheart?"

"I've heard the name," Red XIII replied. "He used to live here. Is he a relative of yours?"

"He's my cousin," Tifa answered. "But I haven't been able to reach him. I was hoping his roommate would know where he is."

"It's a shot," Red XIII agreed. He then pointed his snout to one of the houses. "That's the one," he said.

Tifa thanked Red XIII, proceeded to the house, and knocked on the door.

Tobin's roommate answered the door. She was dressed in a pair of jeans and a dark blue tee. Her eyes were brown, and her hair, red and wavy, ran down to her shoulders. She appeared to be twenty-three or twenty-four.

"Tifa?!" she asked.

"I was wondering about you," Tifa began.

"Well, you found me," the roommate replied.

"It's been a while," Tifa commented.

"It has, hasn't it?" the roommate agreed. "I suppose you're looking for your cousin?"

"I am," Tifa answered.

"I'm sorry," the roommate apologized. "I haven't seen him in weeks, and I'm worried sick."

"I am, too," Tifa agreed. "We were just at his parents' house. They haven't heard from him either."

"It scares me," said the roommate. "But, please, come on in."

Cloud and Tifa entered the home and sat down on the sofa, while Tobin's roommate sat down on the chair. It was a modest home with the parlor, dining room, and kitchen in the common area. There was a bedroom on each side; one for the roommate, one for Tobin.

"He's my best friend," the roommate continued sadly. "I never thought I'd ever be this worried about someone, but here I am."

"Trust me," Tifa said, "if my best friend went missing, I wouldn't know what to do with myself."

"We've known each other for years," the roommate added.

"I'm sorry," Cloud began, "and I don't mean to pry, but you do have a name, don't you?"

"Oh!" said the roommate. "I've forgotten my manners. My name's Alicia. Alicia Reynolds.

Tifa mouthed the name, almost as if she was surprised.

"Listen," Cloud began, "before he disappeared, did he mention anything about a place called the Island Gulag?"

Alicia looked at Cloud sadly.

"That's where he went," she replied.

Tifa felt her stomach tighten again; now both her father and her cousin were in that same awful place.

"So he obviously knew where it was," Cloud observed.

"He found out through somebody," Alicia said. "I never found out who."

"Why did he go there?" asked Tifa.

"The thrill, I guess," Alicia replied. "Mind you, Meteor was falling. We were all expecting to die anyway. Why not go out with a bang?"

"I see your point," Cloud said.

"Did he tell you where the Island Gulag was?" Tifa asked.

Alicia shook her head.

"No, he never told me, because he knew I would follow him."

And then, suddenly, Alicia presented a look of enlightenment on her face.

"I should've checked the journal," she muttered.

"The journal?" Tifa asked.

"Yeah," Alicia replied. "Tobin left me a journal that he told to hide. I'm actually thinking it might have been for you."

"Really?" asked Tifa.

"He told me that if ten days went by and I didn't hear from him, that I needed to hide the journal in the ruined reactor."

"You mean the one in Gongaga?" asked Cloud.

"That's the one," Alicia replied. "I haven't seen him since. I gave him more than ten days. Hell, I waited almost twenty days before going off to hide it."

"I'll get the journal," Tifa announced. "I'll find the gulag, and I'll rescue both my father and Tobin."

Silence filled the parlor. Tifa, despite being used to it, braced herself for the response.

"You must not do that," Alicia began.

"I have two family members that need my help," Tifa said. "Besides, don't you want your best friend back?"

"Karnak will get you," she continued. "He'll do one of two things. One, he'll beat you, break most of your bones, and let you bleed to death internally. And he's good at it; I've seen him do it. Two, he'll send you off the the gulag yourself, and you'll never see Cloud again."

"I have to take that chance," Tifa said.

"Your dad wouldn't want that," Alicia dismissed. "Neither would Tobin."

"Nobody else can help them," Cloud insisted.

"Leave this alone, Tifa," Alicia warned. "Promise me, Tifa. Promise me!"

"Listen," Tifa began, "I knew my father was still alive ever since I failed to spot him in the Lifestream. He's not dead, but he's not here. Why? Because he's imprisoned somewhere. I've now traced his likely whereabouts to a gulag that I know everything about except for the coordinates. I sorely need to rescue him. And ever since the Northern Crater, I've been given nothing but warnings about the consequences of doing so. I know there are risks, and I'd be lying if I told you I wasn't afraid of what might happen, but this is important to me, and I can promise you nothing, except that I'll consider it."

Alicia was silent, knowing there was no convincing Tifa otherwise.

"Cloud and I are getting married this Saturday," Tifa added. "You're an old friend; you're invited."

"I'll be there," Alicia said. "Hopefully with Tobin, if he returns."

"Give me a chance to find him," Tifa pleaded.

"Maybe the journal can help," Alicia suggested.

"And it's in the ruined reactor?" asked Cloud.

"It's in a blue locker," she added. "The combination is 33-39-9. It might reveal where the Island Gulag is. It might not. But, it's a shot."

A few minutes later, Cloud and Tifa were leaving Cosmo Canyon and walking toward the Highwind.

"Alicia Reynolds," Tifa sighed.

"Did she and your cousin...like each other?" asked Cloud. "In that way?"

Tifa shook her head.

"Not that I know of. They were best friends, though. They were roommates for four years."

"How long have you known her?" he asked.

"Alicia?" Tifa replied. "Since I was sixteen. But, until tonight, I never knew her name was Alicia Reynolds."

"You didn't know her real name until now?!" asked Cloud in surprise.

"She had a couple of names, actually, when I first knew her," she continued. "She got one of them from how she was born."

"How she was born?" he asked.

"Her mother died in childbirth," Tifa explained. "Because Alicia was delivered through a C-section with the most unorthodox tool."

"What was that?" he asked. "A screwdriver?"

"A shuriken," she answered.

"A shuriken?!" Cloud exclaimed. "Ouch!"

"She has still another name," Tifa continued. "The one I've always called her."

"What was that?"

"Cissnei," she replied. "I called her Cissnei."

Tifa then stopped, and turned to Cloud. She had an emotional look on her face.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"I don't want to go to the Island Gulag anymore," Tifa replied, in a somewhat broken voice.

"You're giving up?" Cloud asked.

He was shocked; for the last few days, retrieving her father seemed to be all that she could think about.

"Everyone's right," she continued. "It's not worth the risk. Tobin already tried it and got captured." She paused. "And I can't bear to be without you. I won't. It's been hell without you, and I'm not going back there!"

She then placed her arms on his shoulders and kissed him deeply and passionately.

"Are you sure?" Cloud asked, once the kiss was broken.

Tifa nodded as a tear rolled down her cheek.

"What do you want to do, then?" he asked.

"We have a wedding to plan," she replied. "And a life to start. It's time to move forward."

She kissed him again, savoring the feeling of his lips against hers.

12:45 p.m.

"What's this area called?" asked Jessie as she and Barret entered a familiar-looked part of the park with a jumbo-screen television.

"Wonder Square," Barret replied. "This was where we met Cait Sith."

"Speak of the devil," Jessie said as she noticed the familiar feline standing near the stairs leading to the arcade room.

"Howdy, folks!" Cait Sith greeted.

"You still readin' fortunes?" Barret inquired.

"Just a little side money," Cait Sith explained. "Would you two like your fortunes read?"

"We'll pass," Barret dismissed.

"Boo!" pouted Cait Sith.

Barret and Jessie then climbed the stairs and entered the room with the arcade games.

"Pick out any one you want!" he offered.

"Is this one okay?" she asked as she approached one the read "Mog House."

"Whatever floats your boat," he replied as he popped a coin in.

"This is Mog's house," began a female narrator. "It's in Mog Forest on Mt. Mog.  
The beginning of another day in the life of a moogle. This year, Mog is pipapopupo years old. That's twenty-eight in human years. He's at that age when he should be looking for a mate. But before Mog can become an adult, he first needs to learn how to fly. Even though Mog trains hard everyday, he still can't seem to get off the ground."

The game then cut to the moogle attempting to fly, but landing hard on the ground.

"Poor thing," Jessie observed.

"Looks like he's still got a long way to go," the narrator continued. "Here's where you come in. Help Mog learn how to fly by pushing O button and feeding him his favorite Kupo nut. But don't overfeed him. He won't be able to fly if he's too fat."

Jessie pressed the O button on the arcade console, feeding the moodle a modest amount of nuts.

"Oh?" continued the narrator. "It seems like Mog's decided to take another shot at it."

Just then, the moogle began to fly, circling around several times as he did so.

"He did it!" exclaimed the narrator. "He's flying! Now, he's finally become a full-fledged Mog."

The moogle landed, took a bow, and disappeared inside.

"Tired but relaxed," the narrator continued, "our little Mog turns out the lights early and goes to bed. Good night, and sweet dreams."

Suddenly, a pink moogle appeared.

"Oh?" continued the narrator. "What's this? Here comes a female moogle!"

The female knocked on Mog's door. Mog promptly answered it.

"Seems he likes her too," the narrator observed. "Now, will Mog be able to fly gracefully in front of her? Help him out with a few kupo nuts."

Jessie once again fed him a modest amount.

"Oh?" announced the narrator. "It seems like Mog's decided to take another shot at it."

Once again, the moogle began to fly in circles.

"He's flying!" the narrator exclaimed. "Mog was able to do it! She must have fallen for his graceful flying form."

The screen faded to black.

"Sometime later..." read a subtitle.

A scene with Mog and his mate leaving the house began to unfold.

"Looks like things are going good with his new Mog-friend," the narrator said. "Time for a quiet date in the forest. Her name is Mag. She is a good-natured moogle."

The moogle couple walked offscreen, followed by twelve babies.

"Best of luck to the both of you, Mog and Mag," the narrator said. "May you have lots and lots of healthy Mogs! Uh...no worries there, I guess..."

The screen faded to black, and a "FIN" appeared.

"That was cute," Jessie said with a smile.

Barret smiled as well; she seemed to be recovering.

7:00 p.m.

Cloud gasped for air as Tifa continued to kiss him passionately. They were back at home, and ready to fully focus on planning their wedding.

They were on the couch, with Tifa on top of Cloud. She was gripping his shoulders firmly and pressing her tongue against his, leaving him with few intervals to breather. She had her shirt rolled up again to expose her midriff, hoping to make the moment somewhat sexier. She had wanted to make out with her jeans unzipped, but she knew that it would arouse them too early.

Cloud, meanwhile, as Tifa was arched, was treated to a generous view of her butt. He took satisfaction that, in two days' time, he would be seeing it bare. He continued to kiss her passionately as he pressed his tongue against hers, running his hand over the exposed small of her back.

And then, Cloud began to nod.

"What's wrong?" his fiancée asked.

"I don't know why I feel so tired," he replied. "Especially since it's not even nine..."

He did not finish. His eyes were closed, and his head was resting against the couch.

Tifa, meanwhile, knew exactly why he was feeling so tired; she had put sleeping medicine in his drink shortly before they started making out. She got up off of the couch, and took a long look at the man she loved.

"I love you so much," she said to the sleeping Cloud. "That's why it breaks my heart to lie to you. But I can't have you come with me for this. I really do need to find my father, Cloud. But it's not right that I risk your life along with mine."

She then knelt down and stroked his spikey hair.

"Cloud," she continued, tears in her eyes, "I know I might not survive this. But, if I don't, I want you to be happy, okay?"

Cloud, being fully asleep, did not respond.

"I know you'll forgive me," Tifa said as she kissed him. "Hell, I know you're okay with me doing this. In fact, I know you'll come with me. And that's why I'm doing this. You can't be risking your life for this. Only I can."

She then kissed the sleeping Cloud on the mouth one more time, and stood up. She then went upstairs to the bedroom and opened her closet. She quickly replaced her blue jeans with a pair of black ones, and put on a black leather jacket, zipping it up. She also donned a black hat. Next, she went downstairs and out the back door, and opened the toolshed. She was relieved to find that her father's minibike was still there, and that it had a full tank of gas. She then silently rolled the minibike through the house and toward the front door.

And then she stopped.

Something had just popped into her head.

Tifa quickly went upstairs again, this time to her dresser.

_I almost forgot about it,_ she thought to herself. _ This can save my life tonight._

She opened the top drawer to see a small box in the upper left-hand corner. Upon opening the box, she spotted the pager that she had been keeping there. She stared at the pager for some time; she had had a feeling she would need it someday.

"Just in case," Tifa said to herself. "Just in case."

She then returned downstairs, rolled the minibike out the front door, mounted it, and rode it out of Nibelheim's southern exit and into the night.

"Hang in there, papa," she said.


	16. The Abandoned Reactor

Premonitions II: Crisis Core

Chapter 16: The Abandoned Reactor

Thursday, February 1, 0008

Two Days Until the Wedding

9:00 p.m.

A knock sounded Alicia's front door.

She opened it to see Karnak and Yesha standing a foot away. Immediately, any remote shred of hospitality she might have had vanished upon viewing them

"Leave me alone, you bastard!" she snapped before slamming the door shut.

Yesha turned to Karnak in surprise.

"What was her problem?" she asked.

"We...know each other," Karnak replied. "So she still remembers."

"Give me the word and I'll break her skull," Yesha begged.

Karnak shook his head.

"We've just gotten more unwanted attention that we needed. We've managed to track Tifa all the way here. She can't be too far ahead."

Yesha sighed in disappointment.

"No need to worry," Karnak assured her. "Before the day is out, Tifa will be yours."

9:30 p.m.

"What's this?" Jessie asked as she and Barret approached another ride.

"Oh," he answered, "this is the gondola."

Jessie scanned the gondola, and the track it belonged to.

"This seems like fun," she observed. "Want to go on?"

Barret hesitated. The gondola was usually for couples. Then again, he was well aware of how distraught Jessie was.

"No problem," he said.

The two of them boarded the gondola, and sat across from each other.

The gondola began to move, and, soon, the two occupants beheld the speeding roller coasters, as well as the searchlights based in the waters below.

"Wow, Barret," observed Jessie in awe. "This is beautiful."

The gondola continued to move, and soon passed the racetrack. Jessie gasped as five chocobos raced past the window.

"They have chocobo races here?!" she exclaimed.

"You bet," Barret replied. "Cloud and I were thrown in Corel Prison when we first came here. We got out because Cloud won us a chocobo race."

Suddenly, Jessie observed fireworks of all colors exploding around her.

"Fireworks?!" she exclaimed. "What have I been missing?!"

"Hey," reminded Barret, "I didn't come here for the first time until I was thirty-five!"

They sat there silently for a few moments. Looking around, Jessie found the atmosphere almost romantic. Perhaps this would be the time to tell him. She realized that, at this point, she would not have much to lose.

"Barret," Jessie began.

"Hold on," he commanded. "I think I know what you're goin' to say?"

"Really?" asked Jessie.

Barret nodded.

"Yes, it is true that I died nine years from now," he began. "But that timeline is gone. And now, any of us could die at any time. Whether it's fifty years from now or tomorrow, I sure as hell don't know. Me, you, Tifa, you name it."

Jessie nodded.

"But I'm gonna live my life, no matter what," he continued. "That's one thing I can guarantee."

Jessie smiled. She did feel somewhat better, but there was still the other thing she had wanted to talk about.

"Actually," she began, "there's something else."

"Somethin' else?"

Jessie nodded.

"Something I've been wanting to tell you...since the beginning."

"Shoot," said Barret.

He had a nervous look on his face, as if he could tell she had something serious to say.

Jessie was nervous as well, but she was well aware that, no matter how she worded it, the meaning would not change. So she just decided to say it.

"I like you," she said. "And I want to get to know you more."

Barret leaned forward. He ran his hand over his forehead. Then he spoke.

"Let's go to the wedding together," he suggested.

"Really?" Jessie asked in surprise.

Barret nodded.

"Yes, I'd love to!" she exclaimed.

Barret smiled.

"C'mon, you know I like you, too!"

"Really?!" Jessie exclaimed hopefully.

"Since we started," he added. "I meant to say somethin' to you, but..."

At that moment, Jessie could no longer resist, and threw her arms around him.

It was all she needed to hear.

MEANWHILE...

The atmosphere was quite different in Gongaga. The night was dark, and there were no stars visible; clouds were gathering in the sky.

Tifa quietly parked her minibike and hid it in a bush. She then turned to the ruined reactor.

_This is it,_ she thought. _The locker with Tobin's journal is hiding somewhere under all that debris. Tonight, I'll find out where the Island Gulag is. Or I'll die trying._

Slowly, she entered the ruined reactor. As an early reactor, it was quite small. A simple path led a few feet in before looping around and circling back in the opposite direction. On each side of the path was nothing but debris. Somewhere, amongst that debris, was the blue locker containing Tobin's journal.

One feature of Tifa's cell phone that still worked was the flashlight. She used it carefully, covering it with her hand to avoid creating a light for all to see.

Every few moments, Tifa looked up, and scanned her surroundings, looking for anyone who might be approaching. Time after time, she remained alone in the ruined reactor.

After nearly an hour, Tifa happened upon what she had been searching for. There was the blue locker, well hidden amongst the debris.

Cautiously, Tifa pulled the locker out, taking care as not to make any noise. She shined the light on the dial and remembered the combination.

"Thirty-three, thirty-nine, nine," she said to herself.

She rotated the dial in accordance with the combination. Moments later, the locker door opened.

Inside was a red book. It was small but thick. Tifa quickly took the book and flipped through the pages. The handwriting was definitely Tobin's. Initials on the cover read: T. J. L. It was, no doubt, Tobin's journal.

As the journal was small but thick, its dimensions allowed Tifa to slide it into her pocket.

Soon, the feeling of victory faded as Tifa recalled the dangerous place she was in. She needed to leave this place at once and return to the safety of Nibelheim before she was discovered.

Realizing her escape would be simple, she stood up and began walking towards the exit. All that she would have to do was retrieve her minibike, mount it, and ride it back to Nibelheim, where she would be safe.

Tifa reached the exterior of the reactor.

Immediately, she was covered by two tall shadows.

Karnak was waiting there, with a six-foot, muscular woman.

Yesha cracked her knuckles.


	17. Bruised, Battered, and Broken

Premonitions II: Crisis Core

Chapter 17: Bruised, Battered, and Broken

Thursday, January 31, 0008

Two Days Until the Wedding

"Well, well, well," gloated Karnak as he stood before Tifa. "Someone didn't take my advice."

"You knew I wouldn't, anyway," Tifa retorted.

Karnak did not dignify the taunt with response. Instead, he pulled out a firearm, pointing it at Tifa.

"Don't try to escape, you'll be shot," he warned.

"I always thought the Continental Governor as a scoundrel," Tifa said. "But I never saw her as a criminal."

"She has nothing to do with this," Karnak cackled. "Didn't I tell you that?"

"In any case," Tifa continued, "you failed. I know my father's at your Island Gulag. I know you do experiments on people there."

"And where is it?" Karnak asked her.

Tifa was silent; she did not know. It was the final vital thing she had failed to find out; she would learn that from the journal. If she survived long enough.

"I know you were warned by multiple people," Karnak gloated. "You just didn't listen."

"And that's why I'm about to get shot?" Tifa demanded.

"You're not getting shot as long as you stay here," Karnak retorted. "But you are getting beaten to death tonight."

"Don't underestimate me," Tifa warned as she cracked her knuckles. "You of all people know what kind of training I have. We would be quite a fair fight."

"I don't hit girls," Karnak said.

"How noble," Tifa said sarcastically.

"Yesha," Karnak commanded.

Yesha began to menacingly approach Tifa.

"You're going to have her kill me?" Tifa demanded.

Karnak chuckled.

"She'll do far worse than kill you," he replied.

At that moment, Yesha stopped a mere foot from Tifa.

"Did he tell you how dangerous I can be?" Tifa demanded as she stretched her arms.

Yesha, without saying a word, struck Tifa across the mouth.

Tifa felt a pain there like she had never felt before. Tears immediately escaped her eyes.

"Don't say I didn't warn you!" Karnak taunted.

Soon, the damage began to show. Blood began to trickle down Tifa's mouth, and she realized that she could no longer open it. Her jaw was broken, and she could feel teeth on her tongue.

"That was only one punch," Karnak continued. "There'll be more."

Tifa glared at Karnak. Blood was now oozing from her mouth and down her chin, dripping onto the ground. She then realized that Karnak was the lesser of the two threats. She turned her attention to Yesha. If she was going to die that night, she would at least die fighting. She charged for Yesha and drove her foot into her crotch.

Yesha stood still as a statue; the kick apparently did nothing.

"Hit her again," Karnak commended.

Yesha struck Tifa again, this time in the chest.

An even more unbearable pain seized Tifa as she fell to the ground. She then began struggling to breathe; a rib had punctured her lung.

"One more time," Karnak ordered.

Yesha stomped on both of Tifa's feet, with an audiable sound of multiple bones breaking.

Tifa sorely wanted to howl in pain, but she was unable to do so; her broken jaw was swollen too badly.

Yesha then stomped on both of Tifa's legs, breaking them instantly.

Her pain was now so unbearable that she forced her broken mouth open, allowing a small pained cry to escape.

Karnak grinned.

Yesha, meanwhile, continued to stare at her victim, ambiguous whether she would attack her again.

"Is...she...going...to...kill...me?" Tifa uttered through her pain.

"She's already killed you," Karnak replied. "You live another four or five hours before you finally bleed out."

As he said this, rain began to fall. The droplets began to wash some of the blood off of Tifa's face.

"You tried to find your father, and you ended up getting yourself killed," Karnak continued.

At that moment, a helicopter, piloted by Anez, landed several yards away.

"Well," said Karnak as he and Yesha turned, "it looks like this is our ride."

"Happy bleeding out," taunted Yesha.

"Good-bye forever, Tifa," Karnak said before he and Yesha disappeared into the helicopter.

The chopper then took off, vanishing into the night.

The dying Tifa continued to lay on her back, the now-pouring droplets liberally pelting her failing body. There was no way she could stand, as both of her legs and both of her feet were broken. She was going to die on this spot in a matter of hours, alone and in failure.

Or so it would be, had she not reached into her jeans pocket and pulled out her prospective salvation.

It was the pager. Had she not brought it with her, her injuries would mean certain death. Now, she had a fighting chance at life.

Tifa grinned inside as she pressed it; she knew she would need it again one day. The flickering red light was now a constant green. It alerted her that help was on the way.

In less than ten minutes time, the shuttle arrived, landing gently several yards away from her. It was not a large shuttle, large enough to only hold two or three people, but it was enough to remove her from the awful place that she was in.

A robotic contraption then emerged from the shuttle. Attached was a stretcher. Slowly, it approached the fallen Tifa, gently lifting her onto the stretcher. The pain worsened as she was lifted, but she was well aware that it was a necessary evil.

"Vital signs critical," a female, computerized voice read.

"No shit," Tifa whispered.

The robotic contraption gently pushed Tifa into the shuttle. The door then closed, and, moments later, Tifa could feel the shuttle moving, beginning to proceed to its destination. She could only hope that it would arrive at the destination in time. She began to feel weaker, but no less determined.

Tifa opened the journal.

It read: "The Journal of Tobin Lockheart, Beginning September 6, 0000."

Below was somewhat of a disclaimer.

"This journal is told from a first person perspective. Some of the events that occurred without myself present have been assumed to have happened or pieced together from later conversations."

Although Tifa was unable to move her mouth, she was smiling inside. She had the journal. It would no doubt reveal where the Island Gulag was.

She thought of Karnak. She thought of Yesha

_You've won this time,_ she thought. _You've left me bruised, battered, and broken. But when I return after reading the journal, it'll be a whole other ball game._


	18. On the Train

Premonitions II: Crisis Core

Chapter 18: On the Train

SEVEN YEARS EARLIER...

September 6, 0000

The mako reactor flaunted the Shinra symbol as the city lights shone over Midgar on a typical night. Unlike any other particular night, the surface of the city was deserted. No human being walked the streets, despite the fact that they all remained illuminated. No curfew was in effect; the city was simply deserted. As if something was about to happen.

A train sped mercilessly through the city, even as a gate closed in front of it. It crashed right through that gate as if it wasn't there. On cue, an alarm began to sound, alerting anyone who heard it to the impending disaster.

A helicopter hovered over it; it belonged to the Shinra. It followed the train for many yards, as if its intention was to intercept.

And then, the message came crisply from the chopper's intercom.

"Wutai troops have hijacked Shinra Express M93 II. The train is currently headed to Midgar Sector Eight. A SOLDIER operative will be inserted to neutralize the situation. We are to proceed as scheduled. Commence mission in three, two, one mark. Begin mission! Operative is ready for insertion."

The doors on the side of the chopper slid open. A young man of sixteen stepped outside. He was well built, and had black, spikey hair. He was Zack Fair.

"The train has been overrun by Wutai troops," called a second voice from inside the chopper. "Eliminate them, and regain control of the train."

"Oh yeah!" Zack acknowledged enthusiastically.

"Get serious!" demanded the second voice.

Zack, not heeding the second voice, jumped from the helicopter, landing on the train with the greatest of ease, and ducking just as it rolled under a bridge. He stood up, preparing for his mission.

Just then, another figure landed behind Zack. He also had place hair, only it was slightly longer.

I had trouble telling the two of them apart at first.

"Zack!" called the man behind him, revealing that he was the owner of the second voice. "Zack, focus!"

Zack sighed.

"There are no Shinra troops on this train, understood?" reminded the man behind him.

"Hey!" muttered Zack as he punched his hand.

With that, he began to dash, hopping onto the next car. Immediately, gunfire began to come from the sky, causing him to briefly fall on his hands.

"Hello to you, too!" he greeted sarcastically.

Zack recovered, and darted down the train, hopping from car to car until troops came into view. They were dressed in Shinra uniforms, but Zack had heeded the previous warning.

"Come and get it!" Zack taunted as he drew his sword.

Moments later, he cut down any troops in his way. He then made his way to the engine car, cutting all connections with his sword.

"SOLDIER 2nd Class Zack, on the job!" he gloated as he jumped onto the engine.

Just then, a radio transmission came through.

"Train M93-II, rerouted to Sector One, Station One, near Mako Reactor One. Resume mission."

Moments later, the engine pulled to an innocuous stop at the station. Zack quickly jumped off, but, before he could do anything, his cell phone rang.

"Zack speaking," he answered.

"Making progress, Zack?" asked his companion over the phone.

"What's going on, Angeal?" Zack asked. "Why are we fighting Shinra troops?"

"They're Wutai troops in disguise," Angeal replied.

_That's right_, Zack thought. _ He did say there were no Shinra troops on the train._

"Now, head to the open area above," Angeal commanded.

"Towards Sector Eight?" Zack confirmed.

"Yes," Angeal answered. "But first, you have to clear a path."

"Clear a path?" asked Zack.

"You'll see what I mean," Angeal replied. "Be careful."

At that moment, ten Wutai troops in Shinra uniforms charged out of an arch behind him.

"So, I can cut loose, right?" asked Zack as several troops began to open fire.

"Use some discretion," Angeal approved.

"It's showtime!" Zack announced as he put his phone away.

He pulled out his sword and charged the Wutai troops, dispatching them with a few swipes.

As the Wutai troops lay dead on the ground, Zack's cell phone rang again. Knowing exactly who was calling, he promptly answered it.

"Not too bad," Angeal complimented.

"Piece of cake!" Zack gloated. "I'll make 1st in no time!"

"Go up the stairs at the end of the platform," Angeal commanded.

"You got it!" Zack complied.

With that, he ran through the arch the Wutai troops had charged through, and began to climb the stairs. As he did so, he could see several civilians frantically running in the opposite direction.

"Does he have a death wish?" one of them asked.

As he reached the top of the stairs, he realized what the commotion was about.

A giant blue behemoth with read hair yellow fins, claws, and a spiked tail was threatening Loveless Avenue. Upon seeing Zack, the Behemoth charged him, swiping his tail.

Zack, wasting no time, jumped backward toward safety. He then drew his sword and swiped it, cutting the tail off in one stroke. As the Behemoth howled, Zack charged, jumped, and drove the sword into the creature's back, jumping away again as he did so.

The behemoth squirmed in agony for a few moments before laying down on the ground, having breathed its last.

As Zack approached the corpse to retrieve his sword, a longer sword suddenly threatened the side of his throat.

"Showing your back to the enemy," observed a menacing voice. "Overconfidence will destroy you."

Zack slowly raised his hands to signal his surrender. He then slowly turned one hundred and eighty degrees to view his captor.

Sephiroth was standing there, pointing his sword in Zack's direction.

"What is this?" Zack demanded.

Sephiroth grunted before attacking Zack.

Zack quickly took his sword, successfully blocking Sephiroth's attacks.

"Damn it, you're not the only hero!" Zack shouted as he continued to defend himself.

"It's over," Sephiroth announced.

With that, Sephiroth knocked Zack's sword from his hands, sending it yards away. The forced knocked Zack to the ground.

I quickly looked in the opposite direction to see Angeal on his cell phone in the distance.

"Impossible!" I heard him say. I then saw him start running towards the conflict.

Turning my attention back to the drama, I saw Sephiroth approach the fallen Zack, raise is sword, and strike.

And then, I saw Angeal stop the strike at the last possible moment with the remains of Zack's sword.

Then the damndest thing happened. Sephiroth backed off on his own.

"Thanks, Angeal," Zack groaned as he sat up.

Angeal grunted and pulled out his cell phone, pressing an app that read "Training" on it. The next screen read: "Mission Abort? YES/NO."

Angeal pressed "YES."

Moments later, the background disappeared into pixels as Zack, Angeal, and Sephiroth looked on. Eventually, Sephiroth himself disintegrated. Zack and Angeal remained alone in the training room on the forty-ninth floor of the Shinra Building.

"Training's over," Angeal announced.

"Wha? Why?" Zack protested as he took off his virtual reality visor. "You serious? I was just getting warmed up!"

Angeal smiled as he returned the still-broken sword to Zack.

"Zack," began Angeal as he headed for the exit. "Embrace your dreams."

"Huh?" asked the confused Zack.

Angeal stopped at the exit.

"If you want to be a hero," he said, "you need to have dreams. And honor."

Zack scratched his head as Angeal disappeared out of the Virtual Reality room. He stayed there for a good five minutes, probably wondering what he had done wrong. He then walked out the exit.

Finally, I left the virtual reality room myself and made my way into the elevator, pressing the button and letting myself on. I wondered if anyone saw it; they'd be creaked out. They'd probably think that Shinra Headquarters was haunted by a ghost or something.

This is the part I probably should have mentioned earlier: I was invisible. I wear a cloaking bracelet whenever I observe Zack in training. It renders me invisible and inaudible, which proves handy, considering the fact that I'm not allowed above the third floor. My predecessor got fired simply for getting off the elevator by mistake, so it was nothing that I was willing to risk. The bracelet cloaks me, my clothes, and my camera.

Once the elevator hit the third floor, and I was well away from any eyes or cameras, I de-cloaked and resumed my normal job as a desk clerk. Nothing in the virtual world showed up in my pictures, of course, but that didn't matter. My only job was to get pictures of Zack in action and reveal what he was doing. I did that, emailed them, and got my two hundred gil for it.

My name is Tobin, by the way. Tobin Lockheart, to be exact. Or perhaps it _was_ Tobin Lockheart, because, by the time you're reading this, I'm not sure what my status will be.

I've already given you the disclaimer that some events in this journal that occurred outside of my presence have mainly been hypothesized. He's one last disclaimer; the biggest one of all: once you've read about what I've done...don't do it.


	19. A Bit of Background

Premonitions II: Crisis Core

Chapter 19: A Bit of Background

So before I continue, you'll probably want to know a little bit about who I am. Or, that is, who I was, because my current status is ambiguous, as I've said before.

I was born on a farm outside of Gongaga on June 27, 1985. I'm an only child, and was raised with my parents there. I have one uncle and cousin on my dad's side, but all my grandparents are dead. As the farm was out in bumblefuck, I didn't have any friends, either. So, growing up, I only knew five people.

I was homeschooled for most of my life. My parents originally intended for me to take over the farm when my dad got old, but things somehow changed. One night, while I was trying to sleep, I heard my parents arguing.

"And if the farm goes bust, then what?!" I heard my dad yell.

"You're not going to give up, are you?" I heard my mom say.

It sounded like my dad didn't want me investing my life in the farm like the previous eight generations.

The next day, I got the announcement.

"You're going to school," I remember my dad telling me. "You need a real career."

I don't remember what I was thinking at the time, except that I would probably be going to school in Gongaga. It made sense, since it was the closest town.

The school turned out to be Sector Five High School in Midgar. All public schools in Midgar were controlled and sponsored by the Shinra. I was able to go, and even get an apartment for free. The condition was that, after I graduated, I would go to Xing for martial arts training. It seemed like Shinra was setting up some martial arts program for stealthy operations. My dad found the Shinra a better investment than the farm.

So when I spied on Zack in the training room, I was two weeks into my freshman year. I only had two friends at this point.

One of them was Logan. We were partners in chemistry class who made small talk during experiments. I know that's a cheap excuse for a friendship, but that was more or less all I had at that point.

Then there was Durham Haverford, my partner in computer class. Naturally, she was a member of the Haverford family. They're supposedly almost as rich as President Shinra, and they have the biggest mansion in Sector Six, complete with a pool and tennis court in their backyard, and a bowling alley in their basement. Durham is an only child, and is spoiled rotten. And she's incredibly hot.

By the way, I liked Durham. But that's for later in the story.

I sat alone at lunchtime. Both Logan and Durham had class then. I didn't mind; I was always the person who liked a little time to himself every now and then. That said, there had been, by that point, three occasions where somebody sat with me.

On the first occasion, it was Logan. His teacher had been absent, and no sub showed up for twenty minutes, so the class made a mutual decision to dissipate. It was a biology class, and the students spent the twenty minutes they did wait trying to turn on the TV, or checking whether the skeleton in the room was real or not. It was actually Logan who checked, and he was able to verify that it wasn't.

On the second occasion, a girl in a cheer uniform sat down across from me.

"Okay," she began, without introducing herself. "I'm asking random people this. Tonight's my first game and I'm nervous like whoa!"

"You've been practicing, haven't you?" I asked her.

"I've practiced my butt off," the cheerleader replied. "But I'm still a nervous fifteen-year-old girl who's never cheered in front of a whole stadium full of people."

"Did you try pretending that nobody's there?" I asked her.

The cheerleader shook her head.

"That's what I do when I have a presentation to give."

The cheerleader briefly looked at the ceiling before making eye contact with me again.

"You know," she began, "I never though of that." She paused. "I think I'll try that. Thanks! I owe you one!"

She high-fived me and then took off.

I didn't get the cheerleader's name during the encounter, and I never expected to see her again after that. It's a big school, remember?

On the third occasion, Durham sat down across from me. She was wearing a shirt that showed a lot of cleavage.

"What happened with class?" I asked her.

"It got cancelled," she replied.

I knew it was a lie, but I didn't care. I had a good view of Durham's cleavage, and she was showing interest in me, so what could be bad?

Well, the assistant principal thought something could be bad and summoned Durham to his office.

She was given a detention for showing her cleavage.

And for cutting class.

But enough of me. Zack Fair is the star here. He did a lot more heroic stuff than I ever will.

Zack was born in Gongaga in 1984, making him the same age as me. He lived in town, so we never met as children. The farthest away I had ever been, before I went to Midgar, was about twenty feet from the farm limits.

Zack, by the way, went to my high school. I didn't know-him-know-him at first; it was a big school. I spotted him in the hallway once or twice; the school was so big there were classmates you'd never even meet. Trust me.

During the evenings, I'd work as a desk clerk at Shinra Headquarters. I would be filing visitor logs and direct anyone who so happened to wander up to the third floor, which was the extremity an ordinary person, myself included, was allowed to venture.

On my breaks, of course, when no questions were asked, I would cloak myself and explore the building. I would always go to the fourth floor or above. Two days after that virtual reality training, I spotted Zack doing squats. He had a really frustrated look on his face. I felt bad for the guy; he wasn't getting any assignments.

And then, I noticed someone else was watching him. It was Christine Scarlet, the head of Weapons Development. Scarlet was one of the more ruthless of Shinra's executives. The weapons she had designed have killed hundreds, if not thousands.

But, tonight, she was only interested in Zack's weapons.

"Mr. Fair," she called out.

"Ms. Scarlet," he acknowledged.

"Can you come with me, please?" Scarlet requested.

"Roger that," he replied.

I followed them into the elevator. Zack seemed well aware that they were about to have sex, but he didn't seem to mind the least. Scarlet is an attractive woman; some people my age even keep posters of her in their rooms.

The elevator stopped at the fifty-sixth floor. That floor was the home of Weapons Development. I followed them until they disappeared into Scarlet's office, which, I noticed before the door closed, had a bed.

Scarlet, I believe, is thirty-two or thirty-three. Zack is sixteen. Enough said. Not wanting to listen to her statutory shenanigans, I quietly left her office foyer and explored the department.

Scarlet has one daughter, Bestla, whom I passed in the hallway while I was waiting for her to finish her cougar escapades. She was a snobby eight-year-old who was only tolerated around the building because of who her mother was.

"What are you doing?!" shouted an executive when he spotted her. "Children aren't allowed here!"

Bestla gave the executive a rude smirk.

"Santa?" she asked innocently.

"Oh, it's you, Bestla," sighed Palmer. "Carry on."

Palmer has a weight problem, and Bestla often takes advantage of it. She never gets into trouble, as Palmer is the least liked and least competent of all the Shinra executives; why he hasn't been fired is beyond me.

Bestla's father, by the way, is Heideggar. He's the Head of Public Safety, or Commander-in-Chief of the Shinra military forces. He's had an on-again, off-again relationship with Scarlet.

And it was Heidegger who spotted Bestla outside the department by the elevator.

"Bothering your mother at work again?" he interrogated.

"No," Bestla replied, in a snobby tone of voice.

Not believing her, Heidegger grabbed her by the arm. He then marched Bestla off to his office.

I then returned to Scarlet's office foyer; she had surely finished up by now.

"I feel like such a woman!" I heard Scarlet gasp.

I sighed. I didn't peek inside, but I knew exactly what it looked like; they were sitting on the edge of the bed, naked, with their butt cracks slightly visible and drinking glasses of champagne. Zack wasn't legally allowed to drink, but Scarlet wasn't legally allowed to have sex with Zack, so it was kind of one of those "I-won't-tell-if-you-don't" kind of situations.

"When my daughter's old enough," said Scarlet as she placed a hand on his bare back, "we need to have a threesome!"

I burst out laughing. I was cloaked; nobody could hear me. That did sound really bizarre, but, hell, this woman kills people.

Realizing that my break was almost up, I returned to the elevator and pressed the button. The door opened, and I got on.

I was not alone on the ride down. The head of the Science and Research Division also occupied the elevator. That would be Hojo. I never found out whether that's his first name or last, but I did find out immediately that he was headed for the ground floor. So I did what anyone else would do: I pressed the "three" button. Of course, from Hojo's point of view, it looked like it just pressed on its own. Hojo is a man of science and doesn't believe in ghosts, but I know I spooked the shit out of him.

I don't know who's the biggest sexaholic at Shinra, but Scarlet, Hojo, and President Shinra all seem tied. Scarlet has slept with almost every male executive. The only executive who's refrained from fucking Scarlet is Reeve. That's because he's a gay man with a husband and daughter at home. She even took advantage of the teenage Zack.

I didn't take any pictures of that.

I actually only took several pictures of Zack that day, but that was enough. I took them home after work and uploaded them. I then emailed the pictures to my employer: Lorna Fair.

That's right. His mom hired me to spy on him. The Shinra gave his parents compensation for his services, and they paid me to let them know how he was doing.

Zack was somewhat of a troubled kid, so his parents were always worried about him. It started with typical mischief. He was running around taking hats and running and playing ding dong ditch. It stopped being funny when he was eleven and got suspended from school for pulling the fire alarm. The final nail in the coffin came when he was thirteen: he had gotten the mayor's daughter pregnant. Fearing for his safety, his parents sent him to work for the Shinra.

Zack joined SOLDIER quickly, making it all the way to Second Class. He was stationed from town to town, getting a girl pregnant at the drop of a hat.

I had been quietly hoping that he would settle down with a decent girlfriend, and when I got my wish, I hated it. But that's for later.


	20. A Tale of Two Ladies

Premonitions II: Crisis Core

Chapter 20: A Tale of Two Ladies

The next Monday, I was called to the assistant principal's office. I needed to explain what Durham Haverford had been doing sitting across from me when she should have been in class. I was going to lie to cover her, of course; I would tell them that I had no idea when her classes were.

There was one girl sitting across from me in the waiting area. I recognized her. She was one of the cheerleaders; the same one I met at the table the previous week. It took me a moment because she was dressed in her street clothes, since there was no game that day.

And, sure enough, she recognized me.

"I remember you!" she greeted with a smile. "Thanks for the advice. I listened and did a good job."

"That's good to hear," I said.

This girl would not stop smiling; she was obviously grateful.

"I wasn't even sure I wanted to cheer when I tried out," she continued. "Now I think I might even make captain my senior year. I really owe you big!"

Realizing that this girl was going to keep going, I smiled back at her.

"Friends forever?" I joked.

"Nothing lasts forever," the girl said. "We have to graduate sometime. But you are a freshman, right?"

"You got it," I replied.

"Me, too!" the girl said happily. "Well, four years is a long time!"

Just then, the assistant principal poked his head out of his office and made eye contact with me.

"Can you come in, please?" he asked before disappearing into his office.

"I guess that's my cue," I said to the girl. "I'm sure I'll see you around here."

"By the way," the girl continued, "I don't think we've been formally introduced."

"I'm Tobin," I greeted as I stood up and stretched my arm to her.

"It's nice to meet you, Tobin," the girl replied as she gripped my hand, before putting a final end to one of the mysteries about her. "I'm Aerith."

A minute later, I was in the assistant principal's office. I explained what I had planned to explain: that I didn't know when Durham's classes were and that I could not confirm that she was cutting. Five minutes later, I was out of the office.

Aerith was gone; I'll never know what she was there for, but I later speculated that she wasn't even supposed to be there. I think she just wanted to meet me.

THAT NIGHT...

The apartment I lived in had a parlor, dining room, and kitchen, with a bedroom on each side. The bedroom on the left was empty; I had no roommate. It was a Shinra apartment; they were all designed that way. It was in a typical apartment building that stood several blocks from the Sector Five Reactor.

I was off from my Shinra duties that evening; that was a rarity. You would think that I would love it, but I didn't. First of all, I wasn't able to cloak myself and spy on Shinra executives. Second, like I said before, I had no roommate. I thus had nothing to do but futz around on my tablet until I crashed.

A knock suddenly sounded my door.

_So much for the tablet,_ I thought. I didn't know this was good or bad; nobody ever knocked on my door. Realizing that I couldn't ignore it, I got up, opened it, and you'll never guess who was standing there out in the hallway.

"How did you find me?" I asked.

"The student directory," Aerith replied with a smile.

"The stalkers' guide?"

"If that's what you want to call it."

I noticed that she had a light blue baby shirt on, and her sneakers were the exact same color.

"You like blue?" I asked her.

"It's my favorite color," Aerith replied.

"I figured," I said. "Your top and shoes match."

"And I'm wearing jeans," she added. "I'm blue all over. So I was kind of craving Igor's Sandwiches across the street. Wanna come with?" she invited.

I can't really describe what I was thinking then. I had never been invited out, not even by Logan nor Durham. Of course, the alternative would be to bore myself in my apartment for the rest of the night. And...there was something about this girl...

"Sure!" I agreed.

"Great!" Aerith exclaimed with a smile.

She led me down the hall and to the elevator. I lived on the fifteenth floor, and Aerith quickly took notice of the oddity in the elevator buttons.

"There's no thirteen," she pointed out as the elevator began to descend.

"I know," I replied. "There's no thirteenth floor. Nobody would want to live on it because it's bad luck."

"But wouldn't the fourteenth floor technically be the thirteenth, then?" she pointed out.

"It would," I said. "But that doesn't seem to bother anyone."

Just then, the elevator hit the ground floor, and Aerith suddenly displayed a naughty grin on her face. Before I could say anything, she quickly pressed all of the buttons, giggling as she did so.

"Aeris!" I playfully exclaimed as I stepped off the elevator.

"Sorry," she giggled. "I couldn't resist. And it's Aerith, by the way."

"Sorry," I apologized as we exited the building.

"No worries," she assured as Igor's came into view. "Do you know how many people have called me that by mistake?"

I shook my head as we began to cross the street.

"Well, you're not the first," she said with a smile.

We walked into Igor's, got our sandwiches, and sat down across from each other.

"So I didn't see your parents," Aerith began.

"Oh yeah," I said. "They don't live with me."

"They don't live with you?" she asked in surprise.

"They live out in the middle of nowhere, Western Continent," I clarified.

"Wow!" she said. "What brought you all the way here?"

"My dad wanted me here," I replied. "He thought I should be doing something more meaningful than farming."

"He didn't find feeding people meaningful?" Aerith asked me.

I shook my head.

"So the Shinra pay for my room and board until I graduate, and then I'm off to Xing for martial arts training."

It was that moment where I started to feel a vibe from this girl. When she was around, everything was feeling...positive. Still, I didn't want an awkward silence.

"How long have you been in Midgar?" I asked.

"Since I can remember," Aerith replied. "I've been in the same house since I was seven." She then smiled at me. "Do you play any sports?"

"Just baseball with myself in the farm yard," I replied. "Until my dad took my bat away for breaking the attic window."

"Oh no!" she giggled. "My mom took my bat away for throwing it instead of dropping."

"You played baseball?" I asked her. I didn't see that coming.

"Softball," Aerith clarified. "I played when I was nine. But I wanted to do something more girly. So I cheer. And I dance and figure skate."

I was feeling another vibe at this point. This time, it was a feeling of comfort. This girl was making me feel like I could stop worrying about everything else in my life. All that I was wanting to do was smile and talk to her more.

_You don't...like her, do you?_ I thought to myself. It was a good question.

And then, she poked me, and giggled.

"Hey!" I playfully exclaimed. "Why'd you do that for?"

"I felt like it," Aerith giggled.

I then poked her back.

"Ow!" she playfully reprimanded. "You're not supposed to poke a girl!"

"Says who?" I asked.

"Me!" she replied as she poked me even harder.

We took another hour to finish our sandwiches because we were engaged in a poke war.

What sucked about Igor's is that they closed at eight. Igor himself came over to give us the bad news.

"I'm sorry, you flirty birds, but we're closing," he told us.

"Ohh," said Aerith. "Suckage!"

With that, she got up and turned towards the exit, where something else caught my eye. Her jeans made her butt look incredible. Don't get me wrong; I'm a decent guy. But I was an immature teenage virgin at the time.

We walked back to my apartment building, poking each other along the way. Aerith really got me good when we got into the elevator and pressed the button. The poking finally ceased when we arrived at my door.

"So are you going to come to my games now?" she asked with a smile.

"You bet," I replied.

"Great!" she exclaimed.

She hugged me good-bye and disappeared into the elevator.

I then entered my apartment and sat on the couch, taking in what had happened this evening. I kind of liked this girl, and I wondered if she liked me back. It would not have surprised me if she had.

A few moments later, my door sounded a knock again.

I got up to answer, figuring it was Aerith again. I was wondering what drew her back here.

_Does she want to make out?_ I thought to myself.

But when I answered, it wasn't even Aerith.

"Thanks for saving my butt," Durham Haverford said as I opened the door.

She was wearing a crop top that showed more cleavage, and a pair of jeans tighter than Aerith had been wearing.

"You up for a movie?" Durham asked. "Something you need an I.D. for?"

"We're sixteen," I reminded her.

"Seventeen, according to the I.D.s I made," Durham said.

So, basically, Durham had outdone Aerith. This was the first of several such occasions.

MEANWHILE...

Aerith arrived home soon after we departed. As soon as she left my building, she took another elevator to the slums below. Mind you, the slums are anything but safe for a fifteen-year-old girl to walk through, but, as I later found out, the rapists, pick-pockets, and drug dealers were the least of her worries.

Aerith probably had the nicest house in the slums. It had a red-shingled roof and two stories, with gardens and waterfalls in the background. You wouldn't even guess it was in the city, let alone the slums.

Aerith entered the house and walked into the kitchen, causing another, older woman to gasp in surprise.

"You're home!" her mother, Elmyra, said.

"Sorry I'm late," Aerith apologized.

"You outta be!" Elmyra reprimanded, annoyed. "I though you were captured!"

"Mom," Aerith began, "I haven't been followed in forever."

"Just the same," Elmyra continued, "it drives me crazy when you're home late. Did cheer practice run long again?"

"I have a new excuse this time," Aerith said.

"Really?" asked Elmyra. "Let's hear it."

"I've met someone," Aerith began.

"A boy?" asked Elmyra, the annoyed look fading from her face.

Aerith nodded with a smile.

"He is a boy," she said.

"A boy...friend?" asked Elmyra.

"He's a boy and he's my friend," Aerith replied.

Elmyra gave a disappointed look.

"Mom!" Aerith exclaimed. "I'm only fifteen!"

"You'll be sixteen in February," Elmyra pointed out. "And I was married at eighteen."

"That's true," Aerith agreed as she sat down. "Though the situation is different."

"Do you like him?" Elmyra asked. "In that way?"

"I don't know," Aerith replied. "I guess I feel a little buzz."

"Does he like you?" Elmyra then asked her.

"He might," Aerith answered. "It's kind of hard to tell."

"He didn't touch you inappropriately, did he?"

Typical mom questions.

"Mom, we just hugged!" Aerith defended.

"Are you sure?"

"I swear he's not trying to get into my pants," Aerith insisted. "We just went to the sandwich shop."

"Do you want to date him?" Elmyra asked.

"I need to get to know him more," Aerith replied. "But I like what I see so far."

"Then see him again," Elmyra insisted.

"And if I do like him?" asked Aerith. "Should I ask him out?"

Elmyra shook her head.

"Boys ask girls out," she said. "If you like each other, he will."

"And if he doesn't?" asked Aerith.

"Then you can still be friends up to graduation," Elmyra replied.

"And then, he'll be gone," Aerith added sadly. Even though she was only a freshman, she always had graduation on her mind.

"Nothing lasts forever," Elmyra said.

Elmyra, by the way, was only twenty-six at that time. No, she did not have a kid at eleven. When I met her, I could tell right away that, based on their small age gap and the fact that they don't look alike, Elmyra is not Aerith's biological mother.

But that's for later.


	21. Called Away

Premonitions II: Crisis Core

Chapter 21: Called Away

October 2, 0000

Aerith and I got to know each other over the next couple of weeks. She would pop up at my door whenever I was off and we'd go to Igor's again. I found out that her full name is Aerith Lee Gainsborough, and she lives with a single mother in the slums. Elmyra had adopted her at seven, when her biological mother was found dead at the train station. It's unknown who her father is.

One night, during my job at the Headquarters, I cloaked myself and went to one of the training rooms. I found Zack doing squats again like he so often does. He looked really pissed, but could you blame him? He was still not getting any assignments.

Just then, a man named Kunsel walked up to his area and sat down.

"Hey Zack," Kunsel greeted, "you seem a little on edge."

Zack sighed and turned to face him.

"Can you blame me?" he asked. "All this training and no assignments. Like they're hanging me out to dry. You must be pretty busy with everyone off base."

"Off-base?" asked the perplexed Kunsel. "Wait, haven't you heard? There's been a mass desertion at SOLDIER."

"Huh?" exclaimed Zack as he stopped doing squats and rose to his feet. He then moved closer to Kunsel.

"It appears one of the Firsts deserted," Kunsel continued. "He took a bunch of Seconds and Thirds with him, too. Nobody knows why he left, or what he's up to."

Zack sighed and crossed his arms.

"This mass desertion's the reason why your training's on hold," said Kunsel before suddenly looking in the other direction. "Heads up, a First!"

Zack turned to see Angeal walking up to him. I was just now learning to tell the two of them apart.

"Zack," Angeal greeted, "new assignment."

"Woo!" Zack exclaimed enthusiastically. as he trotted to Angeal. "Finally! Some real action!"

"This will be your show," Angeal told him.

"Yes!" Zack exclaimed.

"Report to Director Lazard," Angeal commanded. "We'll give you the details."

Angeal walked outside of the facility, whereupon Zack eagerly followed him. The two of them made their way into the elevator, where Angeal pressed the button for Floor Fifty-One.

Riding in elevators with someone while cloaked always carried certain risks. For one, they can sometimes feel your body heat. Also, there was always the possibility one of them could bump into you. Fortunately, we only went up two floors.

We got off of the elevator to see Scarlet berating the receptionist, with Heidegger standing behind her. Part of me thought it would be funny to pinch Scarlet's butt during her beratings, causing her to turn around and punch Heidegger (or have sex with him in her office, depending on what kind of mood she was in), but that was beyond where I drew the line.

In the next room, Angeal sat down at a computer console. A few feet to his left sat Director Lazard, who turned in his seat to face Zack.

Lazard had long hair and glasses. He looked more like a computer programmer or a folk musician than a SOLDIER director. How he ascended to his position probably had a lot to do with who his parents were. Lazard was the son of Sarah Desericus, Midgar's multi-term district attorney. Officially, he has no father. Unofficially, he's President Shinra's illegitimate son.

"Zack," greeted Lazard. "It's good to finally meet face to face. Lazard, Director of SOLDIER."

Zack stepped forward and shook hands with him.

"Heya," he said.

"On to business," said Lazard as he turned and pressed a few buttons on his console. Moments later, a profile appeared on the screen. It was the face of a man with long brown hair. Over the face was imposed a message that read: "M.I.A. MISSING IN ACTION."

Zack crossed his arms. He recognized the man as Genesis Rhapsodos.

"SOLDIER First Class Genesis," Lazard announced. "A month ago, he went missing during a mission in Wutai. Know anything about this?"

"Not a clue," Zack replied.

"Hmmm," muttered Lazard.

Zack stepped forward and scanned the screen.

"The mission is currently in limbo," Lazard continued. "That's why we've decided to send you."

"Uh, to Wutai?" Zack asked.

"Yes," Lazard replied as he folded his hands. "This war has gone on long enough."

"I've recommended you for First," Angeal added, without making eye contact.

Then there was a fine time. Zack immediately spun to face Angeal and dropped his mouth open.

"Angeal!" he squealed. "I love you, man!"

He then tried to hug him, but Angeal wouldn't have it.

Lazard seemed to find the whole thing amusing.

"Don't make me regret this, Zack," Angeal warned.

"Sir," Zack replied seriously.

"Once you're packed," said Angeal as he stood up, "you'll leave at once."

"You will take over the assignment that was given to Genesis," added Lazard. "Proceed to Wutai once you've made all the necessary preparations."

"We have to leave for Wutai soon," Angeal said. "This Saturday to be exact. Are you ready?"

"I'm all set!" Zack replied.

"I'll be joining you as well," Lazard said. "I'm counting on you."

"Sir," answered Zack as he stood at attention.

"By the way," added Lazard as he leaned back in his chair, "what is your dream? 'To become First,' is it?"

"No," Zack corrected. "To become a hero!"

"Ah, good," sighed Lazard. "Unattainable dreams are the best kind."

"Uh, thanks?" replied Zack, unsure of how to respond.

Angeal led Zack out of the room. A few moments later, another man walked in. He also had spikey hair, similar to Zack's, but it was blond.

Lazard quickly stood to acknowledge him.

"Mr. Vice President."

"Hello, brother from a slutty mother," Rufus greeted.

Lazard remained at attention, offended, but making every effort to hide it.

"Message from the President," Rufus announced. "Angeal Hewley and Zack Fair are the only two members of SOLDIER you dispatched to Wutai."

"I'm well aware," Lazard replied.

"My father's not happy with this mass desertion," Rufus continued.

"I'm not surprised," Lazard acknowledged. "I believe this is an outside source that has nothing to do with the Shinra. I sent two SOLDIER members to investigate."

"Well," Rufus said, as he cracked his knuckles, "Dad can't fire himself, can he?"

"I suppose not," Lazard replied.

"I'm really just here to give you a final verbal warning," Rufus warned. "If either Angeal or Zack deserts on their mission, your ass is done."

Those two knew they were brothers, but they had no love for each other. Rufus was intentional and in wedlock. Lazard only existed because President Shinra had an uncontrollable sex drive. He was often seen asking Scarlet to stay late for a "private meeting." He's also known to go to the Honey Bee Inn at Wall Market and dress up like a king for some off role play. He even raped my cousin's next door neighbor and got her pregnant. No jail, no child support.

Power is as power does.

THE NEXT DAY...

October 3, 0000

It was my last day of school before my excursion to Wutai. I went to class as usual, as if nothing was happening. If I missed school, I would not get into trouble. If I proved that I had been with the Shinra, they would know that it had to be important.

Suddenly, a familiar face popped up from around the hallway corner.

"Hi!" Aerith greeted happily. It was Friday, and she was in her cheerleading uniform. "Coming to the game tonight?"

"You bet," I replied.

"Great!" she exclaimed. "I'll be in the back row with the rest of freshmen."

Aerith then folded her hands and placed them behind her back. She also raised her left leg and placed it behind her right. It was no doubt a flirty stance.

"So Tobin," she began with a smile. "What are you doing this weekend?"

I hated that moment. It was time to deliver the bad news.

"I'm going to Wutai," I replied.

The smile faded from her face; she had obviously wanted to hang out that weekend.

"Wutai?!" Aerith exclaimed. "Where the war is?"

"I have to," I told her. "It's a Shinra assignment."

"That's dangerous!" she objected. "That war's been going on for way too long!"

"I'll be careful," I promised.

"That's where my dad was killed!" Aerith protested.

"Your dad?" I asked.

"Well, he would've been if he lived to adopt me," she clarified. "Look, you're a cool guy. I can't bear for something to happen to you."

"I'll be kept well away from the fighting," I assured her. "I'm just interviewing a couple of SOLDIER members."

It wasn't a lie. Not exactly.

Aerith gave me a worried look and folded her arms. She did not like this one bit.

THAT NIGHT...

I went to the game as promised. Sure enough, I spotted Aerith in the back row. I didn't pay too much attention to the game; a promise was a promise.

I briefly encountered Aerith on the way out of the stadium. She still had that worried look on her face.

"This is it, then?" she asked.

"Until I get back," I replied.

"Please tell me you're coming back," she half-begged, half-demanded. Her beautiful green eyes seemed to moisten.

"I'm coming back," I replied. "I promise."

Aerith threw her arms around me, nearly constricting.

"Please don't get killed," she pleaded.

A few moments later, I was alone again. With nothing else to do, I began to head home. As I was about to step off of campus, I hear footsteps running up to me.

"Hey, you!" I heard Durham Haverford's voice say.

I turned to face her, nearly jumping when I noticed that we were a mere few inches apart. She seemed upset.

"I heard you were going away to Wutai!" she protested.

I scratched my head. I didn't tell her that, and Aerith certainly didn't either. She had to have been eavesdropping at some point.

"Just for a few days," I said.

"One day is all it would take for you to get yourself killed!" Durham snapped. "That's a war zone!"

"I won't," I assured her before telling the exact same thing I had told her competitor. "I'm only interviewing a couple of SOLDIER members. I won't be anywhere near the front line.

Durham stared at me for a moment, and hugged me even tighter than Aerith did. She then pecked me on the cheek.

"I have plans for when you get back," she whispered.

Once again, Durham had outdid Aerith.

I was now wondering who to ask out. Both girls seemed to like me, and I could only date one.

If I survived long enough, of course.


	22. The Far West

Premonitions II: Chapter 22: The Far West

October 7, 0000

I have already mentioned that I was born and raised on the Western Continent, but I had never been to the Western Peninsula, said continent's western extremity.

The Western Peninsula has two towns. One of them is Xing, located in the southern mountains. The other is Wutai, located on the northern plains. The towns are sworn enemies, and Wutai often invades Xing.

There was only one small mountain in Wutai territory called Mount Tamblin, and that's where we were heading. The Emperor had a fortress built there because, although it was a small mountain, it was possible to monitor the entire plains from there.

It was a full moon that night. I found myself in the forest, looking at the trees and shrubs that I had never seen before. There were fireflies everywhere, but I was told to watch out for Giant Wutai Hornets; one sting and that's the story of you.

I arrived at a stone path, where I soon spotted Zack and Angeal heading for the fort. I cloaked myself and followed them as best I could. I was mostly able to keep within a few yards.

"Fort Tamblin is straight ahead," Angeal said. He then stopped and turned to face Zack. "Let's hurry, B Unit is standing by."

Just then, three Wutai soldiers appeared on the road and presented their weapons.

"You two!" demanded the one in the middle. "Identify yourselves!"

"Just leave it to me!" Zack announced as he drew his sword.

With that, he charged the soldiers. He first circumvented the one on the left, stabbing him in the back. He then moved to the one on the right, stabbing him in the neck before he could attack. The last surviving soldier swung his weapon, but Zack was faster. He quickly swung his sword, decapitating the soldier.

"All right, next!" Zack shouted enthusiastically as he returned his sword to its rightful place.

"Calm down, Zack," ordered Angeal as he continued to walk.

"No can do," Zack responded. "The director is watching from somewhere, right? I have to make a good impression."

Angeal sighed, and stopped in his tracks.

"Zack," he asked, "Do you know about dumbapples?"

"No," replied Zack. "What is that?"

"Unbelievable," said Angeal as he put his hand to his mouth. "How can you not know about dumbapples? You'll never make First at that rate."

Angeal began to walk away.

"Whoa, wait!" Zack exclaimed as he ran after him. "What are dumbapples!?"

Suddenly, three more Wutai soldiers jumped out of the foliage behind Zack.

Zack quickly drew his sword and spun three hundred and sixty degrees, killing them all in one swipe.

And then, two more Wutai troops hopped out in front of him on the road.

"You bastards just keep coming!" Zack groaned.

He then stabbed each of them in the chest.

Finally, after leaping over the two dead soldiers, Zack finally caught up with Angeal.

"So Angeal!" he asked. "What's the deal with 'dumbapples?'"

"The official name is Banora White," Angeal replied. "The trees bear fruit at random times during the year. Because of that, the townspeople affectionately call them dumbapples." He then pointed to a treetop above. "The local farms had plenty of them to spare."

"Oh, really?" asked Zack. "So you stole them?"

"We were poor, Zack," Angeal defended.

"Nice excuse!" Zack dismissed.

"But even then," Angeal continued, I had my honor. The largest Banora White tree grew on a wealthy man's estate. It was rumored that those apples tasted the best. But I never stole from that tree, because the wealthy man's son was my friend."

"If he was a friend," suggested Zack as he placed his hands on his head, "you should've just asked for some!"

"Honor can be quite a burden at times," Angeal said.

"And what exactly does this have to do with me?" Zack asked.

"No story is not worth hearing," Angeal said as he folded his arms. He then turned, walked away, and began to laugh.

"What?" Zack protested. "That's it? Yeah, well, thanks a lot!"

As I followed the two SOLDIER members, I thought about Aerith and Durham. I liked both girls, and it was most obvious that they both liked me. I was still debating whom to ask out. Both of them were tied for the most outgoing personalities I had ever seen. Aerith seemed like the sweeter one, but I'll admit Durham was twice as hot. Remember, I was a sixteen-year-old virgin who had never even seen boobs yet.

Eventually, Fort Tamblin came into view. It was designed like a traditional Wutai Pagoda, but had lights on inside.

Angeal and Zack began to crouch.

"B Unit will set off an explosion," Angeal explained. "That's our cue."

"The diversion will allow us to infiltrate," Zack pointed out.

"Right," Angeal agreed. "I'll set the bomb inside the fortress. You'll charge the front gate, and..."

Zack immediately got excited and interrupted.

"Uh-huh, and? And? And? And?"

"Indulge yourself," Angeal sighed.

"You got it!" Zack exclaimed. That's what I do best!" He then turned to face the fortress. "Come on, B Unit," he whispered.

Meanwhile, Angeal did a weird thing. He pulled out his sword and briefly rested his head against it, almost as if he was showing some sort of affection. He then put the sword away.

"You know," Zack observed, "I've never actually seen you use that. Don't you think it's sort of a waste?"

"Use brings about wear, tear, and rust," Angeal replied. "And that's a real waste."

"You're serious, aren't you?" Zack asked him.

"Yeah," Angeal answered. "I can be pretty cheap."

"Yeah, no kidding," Zack agreed.

And then, I saw a flash of orange, heard a loud boom, and felt the ground slightly rumble. The bomb had gone off.

"Begin mission," ordered Angeal.

Zack wasted no time, jumping over the foliage and charging to the front of Fort Tamblin.

There, he stopped as he was greeted by ten Wutai soldiers.

"No one passes beyond this point!" announced the sergeant. "The enemy is but one man! Obliterate him!"

Six soldiers, who had been standing on the ground, charged him, while three on the wall roof began to open fire.

Zack pulled out his sword and dodged the gunfire with the greatest of ease, killing soldier after soldier until only the sergeant remained. Zack quickly decapitated him without hesitating, and dispatched the soldiers on the wall with lightning materia he had brought with him.

"All right!" Zack shouted victoriously. "Piece of cake!"

He then climbed up the wall, while I quietly slipped through the front door. I figured that anyone who noticed would simply blame the wind.

Inside, I saw Zack jump to the ground.

"Enemy attack!" shouted a Wutai troop. "It's SOLDIER! Don't let him get through!"

Three soldiers attacked him, and Zack quickly stabbed them one by one.

Suddenly, his cell phone went off. You would not expect to hear such a thing during an epic battle in an ancient fortress, but not only did Zack's phone ring, he answered it!

"Were you able to get inside the fortress?" Angeal asked.

"Piece of cake!" Zack replied. "I could have done it blindfolded!"

"Don't get too careless," Angeal warned. "I've heard that the Wutai keep a large monster for anti-SOLDIER purposes. It should be somewhere inside Fort Tamblin."

"If I take it out," Zack asked nonchalantly, "do you think I'll make First?"

"It depends on the quality of work," Angeal replied. "Your main duty is to draw the Wutai troops to you by running amok. Do that well, and the director will give you a favorable evaluation."

"Oh, that'll be easy!" Zack said. "Just leave it to me!"

He ended the call and proceeded into the fort. The first room was unoccupied, but the second room had three soldiers waiting for him. Zack quickly killed all three with one swipe.

In the third room, Zack was attacked by two soldiers and some odd-looking quadruped. He took care of the situation the smart way: he killed the two soldiers first, and took care of the creature as it was feeding on the soldier's corpses.

Zack continued to make his way through the fortress, turning corner after corner, even going through a rotating wall before killing three more troops.

He was a pain in the ass to keep up with.

And then, Zack's phone rang again. And, sure enough, he answered it. This time, I recognized the voice as Lazard's.

"This is Lazard," he said. "Enemy troops appear to be lurking in every corner. This fortress will not go down easily."

"It appears that way," Zack agreed. "I was just assaulted while I was checking a revolving wall."

"There may be similar traps set up at the other walls," Lazard warned. "Proceed with caution."

Zack hung up the phone and continued through the brick maze that was called Fort Tamblin. Four soldiers jumped from the wall to attack him, and Zack killed two per swipe.

Two more of those odd quadrupeds, which I later heard were called foulanders, also attacked him from the wall, but he killed them both in ten seconds flat.

I was half-wondering if those creatures could detect I was there.

In another room, Zack came to a tower. It was an old tower that looked somewhat like a pagoda.

"Soldier operative sighted!" shouted a soldier from the top of the tower. "He's under the tower!"

Two more foulanders charged Zack from behind.

"So that's where you are!" shouted another soldier next to the nasty creatures. "Thirty-eighth Tamblin unit, charge!"

The soldier in the tower jumped down. Zack killed him first, causing the Foulanders to go for the corpse instead. The remaining soldier fled the scene.

And then, Zack's cell phone rang for a third time. It was Lazard again.

"We have new intel," he announced. "Enemy troops have also been detected at the two towers within the fortress."

"Well, that makes sense," Zack said. "I just took out one of those towers."

"You'll have to look for the other tower," Lazard commanded. "Otherwise, the enemy can easily track your position."

Zack found the other tower a few minutes later.

"To think one SOLDIER operative did this much damage to us," said the soldier at the top of the tower. "It seems I can no longer sit back and watch."

The soldier jumped down, landed a few feet from Zack. I could see that he was wearing sergeant colors.

"You'll pay for what you did to my men!" The sergeant announced. "I'll make sure you never leave this place alive!"

"He's no match for three Wutai sergeants!" shouted another sergeant as he approached Zack, stopping a foot to his left. "Let's take him out!"

A third sergeant stopped at the same distance on Zack's other side.

"We'll show you the true power of Wutai!" he said.

All three of them aimed their firearms at Zack.

Zack, immediately realizing what was happening, ducked as the sergeants opened fire. A moment later, the three sergeants fell dead; they had shot each other.

And then, Lazard called again.

"Well done, Zack," Lazard complimented. "We have successfully occupied Fort Tamblin. I was really only expecting you to get their attention. Most impressive, I must say."

Zack sighed in relief, still hoping for his promotion.

"I'm very pleased with the results thus far," Lazard continued. "Proceed to the next objective."

Zack pushed his way through two wooden doors, and found himself in a spot where he could see a big red pagoda.

"Ah, this must be the central area," he said.

He made his way to the pagoda, where he saw what appeared to be the stone statue of a dragon.

"What's this?" Zack asked out loud.

"That is Wutai's guardian deity, Leviathan," replied a voice.

Zack jumped in surprise, and faced the voice's origins.

Three men in Samurai-like armor landed behind him.

"We are the Crescent, the Wutai army's elite unit," one of them said. "We appease the wrath of Leviathan, and smite the enemies of Wutai. Our beloved homeland has been brutally ravaged by Shinra."

Zack sighed. He knew he was being grilled.

"I heard that if we could process the mako here, it would help people live better lives," he defended. "But then you attacked us without even hearing us out!"

"What do you know of the pain we have suffered?" demanded one of the Crescents. "Shinra has continually brought fear and oppression to the innocent people of Wutai!"

Zack was silent. He didn't agree with everything the Shinra did (and neither did I), but they were his (and my) employer.

"I would like to ask you one last thing," the Crescent continued. "Are you satisfied in using your immense power to serve an evil organization like Shinra? Does it bring you joy to torture innocent people?"

"That's not what I..."

"If there is any remorse in your heart," the Crescent interrupted, "then atone for your actions by joining our cause!"

Zack was silenced by surprise; he had been expecting the Crescents to attack. So had I.

"Of course," the Crescent continued, "we cannot pay you much, but you can use your power in the name of justice!"

"Justice?" Zack replied. "Is that really the case? Is it so terrible to provide mako to people and make their lives better? I don't know. But I chose to serve Shinra. Whatever happens, I have to stand by that decision."

He then pulled his sword out, realizing that the Crescents were not going to let him walk away.

"I was foolish to think I could reason with villains," lamented the Crescent. "For those of us born and raised in Wutai, losing our land is the same as losing our lives. Hence, I must eliminate you, as my last duty to the land. You will now witness the wrath of the Wutai!"

At first I thought it was stupid of Zack to pull out his sword like that. As it turned out, it was that smartest thing he did. As the three Crescents advanced in him, Zack immediately killed two of them, and wounded the third one, the one who had been talking, in the leg, causing him to collapse to the ground.

Without further ado, Zack put his sword away and began to walk off.

"Why do you not finish me?" demanded the fallen Crescent. "I choose death before dishonor!"

"I don't know," Zack nonchalantly replied as he further distanced himself. "Not in the mood, I guess."

"Your mercy may prove fatal someday," warned the Crescent. "As long as we breathe, we will continue to target Shinra. I promise...one day, I will have your head."

"Fine," Zack sighed. "I'll be waiting."

The Crescent was silent after that; whether he had nothing more to say or he died from the wound, I never bothered to check.

Zack made his way towards the arena, keeping an eye out for any possible surprises.

Suddenly, the silence was broken by an innocent-sounding voice.

"One, avoid unnecessary training!" the voice said.

Zack stopped, wondering whom the voice belonged to.

"Two, protect Wutai at all costs!" the voice continued.

Zack scanned the area, trying to find the voice's origin.

"Three," the voice said, "ugly Shinra SOLDIER dudes must be punished!"

At that moment, the owner of the voice appeared in view. Zack wanted to laugh, and so did I.

The voice belonged to a girl. She looked somewhere between eight and eleven years old.

"Who are you?" Zack asked.

"The mighty Yuffie Kisaragi," the girl replied. "I'm Wutai's greatest warrior! If you wanna go further, you have to go through me!"

"A kid?" Zack sighed. "You shouldn't be playing here, it's dangerous! Go home to your parents."

In response, Yuffie ran behind Zack, who only turned to face her.

"You're the one who's going home!" she demanded. "If you insist on going any further, you'll have a fight on your hands!"

At that moment, both of us realized that she was playing.

"Oh man," he sighed sarcastically. "What am I supposed to do here?"

Yuffie started to pretend punch and kick.

"Whap! Pow! Bam!" she shouted. "Take that, bad guy!"

"Arrrgh! Nooo!" Zack shouted as he dropped to his knees, pretending to be injured. "You got me!"

"There!" Yuffie said triumphantly. "That'll teach you to mess with me! Once again, I've brought peace to Wutai!"

With that, she turned and ran off.

"Boy oh boy," Zack sighed. "You gotta admire that energy. Well, back to work, I guess."

He climbed the stairs and entered the arena. Inside, the arena was circular, and illuminated by pillars with flames. The floor was decorated with colorful tiles. In the center was a square with a giant kanji painted on it.

Zack stopped to scan the kanji. He recalled seeing it before, tattooed on the small of the back of a girl he went on several dates with. His face produced a look of horror when he recalled what it meant: "fight."

At that moment, dust began to come from the ceiling. As Zack instinctively jumped backward, what looked like some kind of vortex opened through the roof.

Moments later, two giant, armored creatures landed on the floor. One of them was purple and carried an ax. The other was green and carried a mace.

"You must be the anti-SOLDIER monsters I've been hearing about!" announced Zack as he drew his sword.

Of course, the creatures were non-verbal and did not respond. But it led Zack to realize one thing: the creatures were powerful; intelligence was a different matter. Zack thus darted in between the two ogres.

I almost couldn't watch; I thought it was a suicide run. But then I realized what Zack was doing. The purple creature attacked Zack with its ax; it missed, and decapitated the green creature instead. Zack then quickly saw his chance and stabbed the purple creature in the neck, which let out a hideous noise for a few seconds before dying.

Zack's cell began to ring, and he eagerly pulled it out, hoping it was Lazard telling him that he had been promoted to First.

"SOLDIER Second Class Zack, victorious once again!" he answered.

But it was not Lazard.

"Good work," Angeal complimented. "Now, get out of there quickly. There's only five minutes until detonation."

"Understood!" Zack acknowledged before hanging up. He then scanned the room. "Director Lazard, are you watching?" he casually asked. "Gotta move!"

He began to run towards the exit. When he was halfway there, another creature landed on the floor. This one was black, larger than the previous two, and was armed with a chain mace.

"No time to play!" Zack shouted as he turned one hundred and eighty degrees. He quickly jumped into the air, and stabbed the creature in the shoulder. It immediately collapsed to the ground, motionless and apparently dead.

I was skeptical, and so was Zack. He stepped in for a closer look, and, sure enough, the creature came back to life. It immediately smacked Zack, sending him into the wall.

I don't know what the impact did to Zack, but as he sat up, I could see something was wrong with him. He kept his sword pointed at the creature, but he didn't stand up. I though he might have paralyzed.

"Not good," he groaned.

The creature raised its arm for a final blow. Then, it suddenly dropped dead, for real this time. Zack probably thought it was a miracle.

Of course, I saw Angeal enter the room, sneak up behind the creature, and cut it down with his precious buster sword.

"That's one more you owe me," Angeal said. "You lost your focus."

"Uh, yeah?" replied Zack, realizing what had happened. "Oh, sorry if your sword got any wear, tear, or rust on it."

"You're a little more important than my sword," Angeal said as he put said sword back where it belonged. He then pointed to Zack. "But just a little."

Angeal helped Zack to his feet.

"Thanks," he said.

Angeal led Zack out of the fort. I used this time to take a few pictures; his mother would end up relieved that he was not shown to be in any danger.

I knew, though, that his chances of being promoted to First Class were as dead as my grandfather once he got cocky in there. He did have a lot more growing up to do.

Eventually, Zack saw whom he had been hoping to see on the path.

"Sorry to keep you waiting," Lazard apologized. "I'm not used to being on site."

"You didn't have to come," Angeal said.

"This operation will bring an end to the war," Lazard insisted. "I have to see it through personally." He then turned to Zack. "SOLDIER Second Class Zack."

"Sir!" Zack responded.

I know what he was thinking. He was hoping that he would announce that he made First.

"You performed your duties admirably at Fort Tamblin," Lazard continued. "I saw it with my own eyes. Frankly, my evaluation of you is..."

I can swear I saw a gleam in Zack's eye.

"You took out a lot of enemy units for us," Lazard said. "You exceeded my expectations. Keep up the good work, and perhaps the day you make First will not be far off."

Who knows the extent of disappointment that shot through his mind, but he kept it contained. Or, at least he hid it by doing squats. I don't know.

"You were right, Angeal," Lazard continued. "He is quite a promising prospect."

"This is just the beginning," Angeal chuckled.

"I can say this now," added Lazard, "but when you first came to me with the recommendation, I was hesitant. I thought for sure that all he was good for was doing squats."

On cue, Zack stopped squatting.

"Now, let's hurry," Angeal commanded. "Sephiroth is waiting."

"Sephiroth!?" Zack exclaimed in excitementThe SOLDIER hero? Wow! I get to meet a hero!"

Suddenly, three more enemies emerged from the foliage and began to attack Zack. I was baffled at first; these were not Wutai soldiers. They almost looked like...Genesis.

Whomever they were, Zack wasted no time in dispatching them.

"Zack!" Angeal suddenly called. "Come on!"

I turned to see more of these enemies attacking Angeal and Lazard.

"Take the director to a safe place!" Angeal commanded.

"Then contact Sephiroth," added Lazard.

"Zack is more than enough," Angeal insisted as he killed one of the enemies. "Now, go!"

"Follow me, Director!" Zack commanded as he led Lazard down a path through the woods. A few minutes later, they met up with a few Shinra soldiers.

"Thank goodness you're safe, Director Lazard," one of them said.

"I should be fine now, Zack," Lazard said as he turned to him. "Go and assist Angeal!"

"I know, I know!" Zack replied as he turned and ran in the opposite direction. Moments later, he was approaching where he had left the fighting.

"Angeal!" he called. "Angeal!"

But there was no answer. When Zack arrived, all he could see were two dead bodies that belonged to those weird soldiers.

He then came to the same conclusion that I did.

"What?" Zack exclaimed. "These guys aren't Wutai troops."

He didn't notice the dark red sphere that appeared above him; I quickly recognized it as a summon materia. I turned to run, but it was too late. Suddenly, the world around us looked as if it had been scorched.

"A summon?" exclaimed Zack. "Who called it out?"

And then, an orange, horned humanoid appeared. It was Ifrit.

The summon attack Zack with fire, while he used his sword. Ifrit was one of the weaker summons, and Zack had no trouble causing it to double. And then he made another mistake: he turned his back to it. Ifrit quickly surrounded Zack with fire. I thought he was done for for sure.

Moments later, I saw a flash of long, silver hair, followed by a long silver blade. It all happened too fast: the blade drove itself into Ifrit, causing it to explode in agony.

The original surroundings returned. Zack was unharmed. Standing mere feet from him was Sephiroth.

"Holy shit!" Zack exclaimed.

Ignoring him, Sephiroth took a knee and inspected the bodies. He pulled the helmet off of one of them, revealing a face he had recognized.

"Genesis," he said out loud.

"The missing SOLDIER First Class?" Zack asked.

Sephiroth then pulled the mask off of the other body; it revealed the exact same face.

"They're identical!" Zack exclaimed.

"A Genesis copy," Sephiroth muttered.

"Copy?" Zack asked. "A human copy?"

Sephiroth immediately turned to Zack, finally acknowledging him.

"Where is Angeal?" he inquired.

"I thought he was fighting around here," Zack replied.

Sephiroth grunted.

"So he's gone too."

Sephiroth they stood up and began to leave.

"What?" exclaimed Zack as he began to follow him. "Wait, what does that mean?"

"It means Angeal has betrayed us as well, Sephiroth replied.

"No way!" Zack dismissed. "I know what kind of guy Angeal is. And he'd never do that!"

Sephiroth stopped and turned around. He gave Zack a cold look. I almost wondered if he was going to kill him.

"Angeal wouldn't betray us!" Zack protested. "Never!"

"Come along," Sephiroth commanded. "Director Lazard is waiting."

At this point, I realized that the fighting was over for the day. I now needed to return to the town of Wutai and book a hotel for the night. So I followed the path back to the town. There were Wutai soldiers forming checkpoints along the way, but that didn't bother me; I was still invisible. I finally de-cloaked behind a tree at the edge of town. I then casually strolled to the nearest in and booked myself a room. The innkeeper gave me a suspicious look, but lent me a room just the same.

I went to my room and sat down on my bed. I then pulled out my phone. Nobody had called me, and I wasn't surprised. I really should have given my number more easily.

I then checked my emails; one reminded us all of the dress code.

A second email reminded us of our first softball game. I would be going to that one, as Durham's our catcher.

I also noticed one email from an address listed as Gainsborough, Aerith L. I clicked it to find no message, but an attachment instead. It appeared to be a video, so I clicked it and allowed it to load.

She was laying on her stomach over her comforter, barefoot and wearing a white tank top and black pajama bottoms. Behind her was a pillow that read "PRINCESS" on it.

"Hel-lo, Tobin!" she greeted. "PJ time in the Aerith household!" She then giggled. "This is just a friendly reminder that you need to get back here alive." She then pointed her finger. "If something happens to you out there, I'll never speak to you again!"

Then the video ended.

I sighed; of course, I had never told her about my cloaking bracelet. I think she would've had a peace of mind if she knew they couldn't attack what they couldn't see. Maybe I would tell her if we got closer.

I then realized that I also never gave her my number. I figured a text from me would give her a peace of mind as well.

There was a lot to think about other than girls, like what was up with Angeal. I didn't trust Sephiroth, so I doubted that he betrayed anyone. It was possible a Wutai trooper got him, or maybe the sting of a hornet struck him down.

In any case, I was too tired to overthink is. Following Zack Fair around was a lot more draining than it looked. I closed my eyes and lay my head back.

I passed out in seconds.

October 8, 0000

I woke up the next morning. My body was aching from all that chasing, and I smelled like shit. I quickly showered, dressed, and prepared to go home.

And then, noticed it: my cloaking band was gone!


	23. The Missing Bracelet

Premonitions II: Crisis Core

Chapter 23: The Missing Bracelet

October 8, 0000

I also noticed that my room door was wide open; somebody had come in and taken it while I was in the shower.

This was not good; if this had fallen into the wrong hands, Wutai could use it to win the war. I quickly darted out of my room, hoping for answers as soon as possible. My first suspicions were on the innkeeper; he had keys to every room.

When I got to the lobby, I noticed that there was nobody at the reception desk. I stormed out of the hotel right away, hoping to spot the innkeeper somewhere in the vicinity.

And then I saw her. It was Yuffie, that girl who was at Fort Tamblin the previous night. We immediately made eye contact, and she quickly got a nervous look on her face. She was indeed the culprit.

"YOU!" I exclaimed.

"Oh, shit!" Yuffie nervously groaned as she began to turn and run.

That was sheer self-incrimination right there. I immediately darted after her. Being much younger and smaller than me, I caught up to Yuffie easily. I then grabbed her, spun her around, and angrily lifted her into the air. I didn't care if she was a child. I didn't care who saw me. I needed my cloaking bracelet.

"Where is it?!" I demanded.

"Where's what?" she replied, playing dumb.

"My bracelet, you little shit!" I explicitly clarified.

"Relax, it's just a bracelet!" she dismissed.

That did it.

"WHERE'S MY FUCKING BRACELET?!" I demanded at the top of my lungs as I shook her roughly.

"The Spoils Pagoda!" Yuffie replied frantically. "Where we take our spoils of war!"

I sighed and lowered her down; I got the information I needed.

"I'm not at war with you," I assured her.

"Bullshit!" she dismissed. "I saw your Shinra badge, Tobin Lockheart!"

I glared at her.

"You went through my wallet?"

"You bet your ass!" Yuffie replied.

"Such language for a kid," I observed.

"Shit! Shishishishit! Shishishishit!" she defiantly retorted.

"Look, just tell me where it is, and I'll never come back here again," I pleaded.

"I told you," she replied, "the Spoils Pagoda."

"Where's that?" I naturally asked.

Yuffie put her hands on her hips and gave me a skeptical look.

"Promise you won't come back?" she asked.

"Promise," I assured her.

"Cross your heart and hope to die?" she demanded. "Stick a needle in your eye? Spill your guts, lose your dick, turn your body to a...ummm...ummm...ummm..."

"Prick," I finished for her.

"That'll do," Yuffie agreed. "Okay, nobody's ever retrieved anything from the Spoils Pagoda. It's just south of town."

"I'm more than nobody," I replied. "Is there a way in?"

"The only way in is the front entrance," she replied. "And that has two guards."

"There has to be a way to sneak past them," I suggested.

Yuffie shook her head.

"You don't have to," she said. "If you bother them, they give you a warning. If you bother them again, they give you a second warning."

"What happens after the second warning?" I asked her.

"They open the pagoda and let you go in," Yuffie replied.

"So you're saying they get tired of you begging and give it back to you?" I asked. "That's too easy. Tell the truth."

Yuffie shook her head.

"They let you take it and walk away. But when you're about a foot from the exit, they'll suddenly ambush you, and stab you with their sais. And that would be the story of you."

"What?" I exclaimed.

"It's their way of getting rid of unwanted enemies," she said.

We stared at each other for a few moments. Now this sounded believable.

"I'm going to try it," I told her.

"Wait!" exclaimed Yuffie. "Are you deaf?! It's a trap! They always do this! You pick up the bracelet and they'll come after you! They'll wait for ten seconds and then cut you to pieces when you're least expecting it! Picking up that bracelet will give you about ten seconds to live!"

"That's all I need," I told her.

"Are you suicidal?" she asked. "I'm calling the hotline!"

I shook my head. Then something else popped into my head. I was wondering if what the bracelet was for got leaked somehow.

"What do you know about that bracelet?" I asked her.

"It's pretty," Yuffie replied.

"And?"

"That's it," she said. "And it's probably worth a lot."

"I see," I said as I turned and began to head for the Spoils Pagoda.

"Wait!" Yuffie exclaimed. "Promise me You won't die!"

I sighed. I'd been getting that a lot, it seemed.

"I won't," I assured her.

"Good!" Yuffie exclaimed. "Because you're kind of cute."

That did it. I turned around, and glared. Did this girl actually have a crush on me?

"How old are you, anyway?" I asked her.

"I'm going to be nine in six weeks," Yuffie replied.

"That means when I was eight, you were only one," I dismissed as I began to walk off. "Hit me back in nine years, provided you're still interested."

"Not fair!" Yuffie protested.

SOUTH OF TOWN...

I found the Spoils Pagoda less than a mile from town. Just like Yuffie said, there were two guards there. I couldn't waste any time, as my flight home was due to leave soon.

"What do you want?" demanded one of the guards.

"You have my bracelet," I replied.

"Oh," said the guard. "So you're Tobin Lockheart, aren't you?"

I nodded.

"What's it for?" the guard asked.

"My girlfriend," I lied.

"Sorry," the guard said, "but it's ours now. But if you want to get into a girl's pants, why don't you try wooing her?"

"I'll keep that in mind," I said.

I walked away and hid around the corner for five minutes. Then I came back and bugged then again, just as Yuffie had said. Sure enough, they told me to get lost. So I disappeared for a bit and came back once more.

"You just don't quit," the guard said. "Very well. So be it. If you want your precious bracelet back, you can have it."

He then signaled for me to head into the Pagoda.

I quietly entered as I noticed both of the guards look at me with big smirks on their faces. They were counting on cutting me, an intruder associated with the Shinra, to pieces, and I almost felt sorry for them. They had no idea that I was going to cloak myself as soon as I got the bracelet.

I found the bracelet on a shelf with other spoils I didn't have time to identify. As soon as I picked it up, I began to hear chuckling from the guards. I then heard sais drawn. I chuckled myself, knowing full well they were in for one hell of a disappointment.

Not wanting to compromise any secrets, I quickly went behind a pillar, put the bracelet back on, and cloaked myself. I then darted out of the pagoda, looking back at the guards, who had by this point entered the pagoda looking for me. They looked around for a few seconds. They then started shouting at each other in what I figured was their native language.

Off I ran with an invisible smirk on my face.

LATER...

Now that I was invisible again, there was one last loose end...I mean, she did start it all, so...

I spotted Miss Kisaragi on a balcony at the water. She was standing there, minding her own business. Much like I was when she stole my bracelet.

The look on her face when she seemingly lifted off the ground was priceless. So was what she said.

"Help!" cried Yuffie. "I'm going to Heaven! Did I die?!"

A little boy a few feet away began to cry.

"It's your time," said an old lady sitting nearby. "Go to Heaven."

I lifted her as high as I could, and began to move her over to the balcony's railing. She then realized what was going on.

"Tobin?!" she shouted. "Is that you?! Put me down, asshole!"

"Watch your language!" shouted the old lady. "Or you'll go to Hell!"

"You just said a bad word!" the boy announced.

Once she was over the ledge, I tossed her. Yuffie landed in the water with a loud splash.

Although I was cloaked, I gave into my urge to run like hell. I didn't even look back that time. All I heard was Yuffie screaming.

"TOOOOBIIIIN!" she shouted as I ran. "FUUUUUCK YOOOUUU!"

ON THE PLANE...

I was relieved to see that the Shinra plane was still there when I arrived. I was still cloaked, so I had no trouble making my way into the plane.

The first two people I saw in the plane were Zack and Sephiroth. Zack was still troubled, and Sephiroth was still adamant.

"There's no way he could," Zack insisted. "Angeal would never betray us."

"That's what a lot of others thought about the other deserters," Sephiroth pointed out. He then looked upward. "And it's what I thought about Genesis."

Zack looked down. I felt sorry for the guy; it almost looked as if his faith in humanity had been shaken. For all intents and purposes, it had been.

Just then, the door to the next room slid open, and out stepped a middle-aged man with blond hair. He had a mustache, and was wearing a burgundy suit.

I recognized the man immediately.

"Mr. President?!" Zack exclaimed.

"Mr. Fair," President Shinra replied as he extended his hand to greet him. "So you're the one who wiped out Fort Tamblin."

"That would be me," Zack replied as he accepted the hand and shook it.

"We now have victory in sight," President Shinra continued. "I will put in a good word to the director."

He took one hard look at Lazard. He knew he was his illegitimate son, but showed no love for him. As far as President Shinra was concerned, he only had one real son, and that was Rufus.

President Shinra then turned and walked toward the next room. Seizing the opportunity to do the mother of all eavesdropping, I followed him.

INSIDE THE BRIEFING ROOM...

President Shinra was sitting at the head of the table. On one side was Rufus, Heidegger, and Palmer. On the other side was Scarlet, Hojo, and Reeve.

"Okay," commanded President Shinra, "give it to me straight."

"According to our reports," Heidegger replied, "Wutai military morale is at an all-time low. Three hundred and fifty-two desertions were reported last night alone." He then turned to Scarlet. "It looks like we won't be needing your blue energy after all," he added. "No offense."

"None taken," Scarlet replied as she glared.

"Unfortunately, we had a desertion ourselves," Reeve pointed out.

"Reeve," snapped Heidegger, "that's not your department."

Scarlet smirked.

"Angeal Hewley is being formally charged with treason," Heidegger announced.

Scarlet than placed a hand on Reeve's back.

Reeve did not respond.

Scarlet gave a disappointed look. I think she knew Reeve was gay, but she was still hoping to achieve some naked time with him.

Rufus, meanwhile, turned to Hojo.

"Sephiroth reported that two Shinra soldiers, for a lack of better wording, turned into Genesis." He then gave Hojo a skeptical look. "That sounds like something out of a zombie movie."

"All we know at this point is that the DNA is slowly mutated until it is identical to that of Genesis," Hojo replied. "How the condition is transmitted remains a mystery."

It bothered me to hear that.

It meant anyone on or near that peninsula, myself included, was potentially a future Genesis.


	24. Back Home

Premonitions II: Crisis Core

Chapter 24: Back Home

I was back in Midgar by four that afternoon. I quickly returned to Sector Five, but I realized that there were some loose ends I needed to tie up before I went home. The first thing I realized I needed to do was to alert my two potential girlfriends that I was home safely. Since she had taken the time to record a video for me, I decided that I would go see Aerith first.

If she used the stalkers' guide to find me, she would have no problem if I did the same to find her. I'll tell you this: I almost stopped trusting the stalkers' guide once I found her house.

"This is still the slums?" I asked myself.

You wouldn't think this was in the slums. Hell, you wouldn't even think this was in the city. It was as if she lived out in the middle of nowhere, and had a whole forest to herself. I'm sure she would have liked that. There were plants growing and everything. Only a few pipes reminded me it was still the city.

But I didn't have time to speculate. Aerith was worried sick. She was waiting to see me, and I was waiting to see her. I knocked on the front door, and it opened.

Aerith was wearing a baby shirt that exposed an inch of skin and a pair of tight, dark blue jeans. She gave me a neutral look at first.

"You need your butt kicked," she said before throwing her arms around me. "I'm glad you're safe."

"Me too," I replied as I hugged her back.

She broke the hug and looked me in the eyes.

"You scared me," she reprimanded. "I kept refreshing the casualty list to make sure you weren't on it!"

"Sorry," I replied. "A job's a job."

Aerith simply smiled at me.

"Come on in," she invited as she backed into her house. "I'm just glad you're okay."

I stepped inside. Aerith's house was a modest home with a living-room and kitchen mashed together. I could see her mom sitting at the table.

"Is this your friend who went to Wutai?" Elmyra asked.

"Mom," Aerith began, "this is Tobin."

Elmyra stood up and shook my hand.

"It's nice to meet you, Tobin," she greeted politely. "I'm glad to see you're okay."

The three of us made small talk for a bit before Elmyra went out for groceries, leaving Aerith and I alone in the house.

"Wanna go to the roof?" she suggested.

"The roof?" I asked.

"I love it up there," she said. "It's where I've always been daydreaming away."

Aerith led me upstairs. There were two bedrooms, which I presumed were for her and Elmyra. At the end of the hall was a string hanging from the ceiling. When Aerith pulled it, a flight of wooden stairs came down. You would expect said stairs to lead to an attic, but, here, they led to the roof.

A few minutes later, Aerith and I were laying on our backs, staring at the plate that was blocking our view of the sky. We both had our arms behind our heads, which allowed Aerith's shirt to rise more, giving a better view of her bare midriff; I wondered if she was doing that on puprise.

"I'm a little jealous," Aerith said playfully.

"What?" I asked.

"You grew up in the country," she clarified. "If we did this there, we could see the stars."

I kind of wanted to show an interest in her, so I made a reference to the future.

"Maybe I could take you out there sometime," I suggested.

"I'd like that," she agreed, smiling. "I've never been outside of the city. It makes me even more jealous that you'll be getting to do martial arts training in Xing after we graduate."

"You'll have your own place to go," I added.

"Not really," she dismissed. "I'll be staying in Midgar, helping my mom around the house."

I found this interesting.

"Aren't you going to college?" I asked, although I already figured the answer.

Aerith shook her head.

I found that somewhat of a surprise; everyone else I knew had college plans for after graduation. She was the only exception.

"Don't you want a career?" I asked her.

"I just want to be a housewife," she replied. "I'm kind of traditional."

I kind of figured that. She was a cheerleader and loved to dance, both feminine activities. I never thought she was that traditional, though.

"But I dress sexy sometimes, maybe so a cute boy might ask me out," she continued with a smile.

I couldn't tell whether or not she was referring to me. She was wearing a shirt that exposed an inch of skin, which was the first I had seen her in. She was also wearing a pair of jeans that really showed her behind off. On the other hand, she didn't know I was coming. It was ambiguous. It really was.

We stayed on the roof and talked for a couple of hours before it was time for me to go. She led be back down to the ground level.

"I'll see you in school tomorrow?" Aerith asked.

"You bet," I replied. "No more Wutai."

She smiled and hugged me.

"Thank God," she said happily.

I then walked out the door.

"He is so cute!" I heard Elmyra, who had since returned, say as the door closed.

ON THE WAY HOME...

My next stop as the house of my other potential girlfriend. I took the elevator to the upper plate, and soon found myself at my next destination.

Like I said earlier, Durham lived in a big house. I rang the doorbell and listen to it chime some classical tune I'd never heard before. Then her father answered the door.

"Can I help you?" he asked in a neutral tone of voice.

I could tell right away that Mr. Haverford didn't like me.

"I-I'm here to see Durham," I replied, somewhat nervously.

"Is she expecting you?" he grunted.

"Daddy, it's okay!" called a voice from behind him.

A moment later, Durham appeared, wearing a gray tee and a matching pair of sweatpants, and threw her arms around me.

"Welcome home!" she whispered.

When we broke the hug, I could see that Mr. Haverford was gone.

"Don't mind him," she whispered. "He's like that with all boys."

With that, she took my hand, and led me past the living-room (where her parents were watching TV), up the stairs, and into her room.

Curiously, Durham had a window that she could see out into the hall with.

Durham's bedroom had a bed, along with a bathroom, sofa, TV, and even a fridge. It was almost an apartment in there.

My host immediately walked over to the couch and sat down.

"You owe me a foot rub," Durham announced as she put her back against the armrest and stretched herself, leaving me only enough room to sit down.

I duly began rubbing her foot, and Durham immediately began taking it in.

"How was Wutai?" she asked me.

"Okay," I replied.

"Just okay?" Durham asked in surprise. "I heard we blew up a fort!"

"I only saw it from a distance," I told her as I began rubbing her other foot. "I mainly took pictures and did a few interviews."

"Who did you see?" she asked.

I decided to be honest. "Just Zack Fair and Angeal Hewley."

"The traitor?!" she exclaimed.

I realized that word traveled fast.

"My leg, too, please," Durham requested.

I began to rub her leg through her pants.

"I also saw Sephiroth," I continued.

"Ew," she groaned. "That guy's creepy." She paused. "They're in the way, aren't they?"

"What?" I asked.

"My pants," Durham clarified.

"No, not really," I replied.

"Oh, okay," she said.

I continued massaging her leg for a couple of minutes. And then, I wanted to hit myself.

_You dumbass,_ I thought to myself. _Don't you realize what would have happened if you had said yes? _

"Actually," I said, hoping it wasn't too late, "they kind of are."

Durham nodded.

"Hold on," she said. "Let me close the curtains so no one sees me."

Durham got up and closed the curtains. She then locked the door. After that, she walked back over and turned her back to me, placing her hands on her hips. For a few moments, she seemed to scanned the room. Then, she gripped her pants, pulled them down, and stepped out of them, revealing a pair of leopard-skin panties.

Durham then sat back down on the sofa next to me, and I resumed massaging her legs. Only this time, she had a big smile on her face.

"You seem happy," I pointed out.

"It's not every day a girl gets a good leg rub," she replied with a smile.

I continued to massage her lower leg before moving up to her knee. When I noticed she didn't object, I moved up to her upper leg. She still didn't object, and soon I found myself massaging the side of her upper thigh where her panties stopped.

"Oooh," Durham purred as she made eye contact with me. "I wasn't expecting my butt massaged!"

"Like it," I asked her.

"I love it," she replied.

I then decided to take a leap. I tilted my head toward hers, putting our lips across from each other, slowly moving mine towards hers.

And then, she pushed her lips against mine, kissing me softly.

"I know," Durham continued. "I wear granny panties. Thongs are just so uncomfortable. Maybe when I go to college."

College.

That was where Durham stood out. She wanted to go to college and become a teacher. It was a great endeavor, in contrast to Aerith, who just wanted to be a homemaker.

I stayed on the couch with Durham for another two hours, rubbing up and down her legs. She had a big smile on the whole time.

Eventually, it was time for me to go home. Durham, without putting her pants back on, led me to the door and kissed me good-bye. I was fortunate enough to leave without coming into contact with Mr. Durham again.

HOME...

Another surprise awaited me when I opened the door to the apartment.

"What are boxes doing here?" I asked out loud.

There were empty boxes all over the place. There seemed to be about twenty or so scattered. It could only mean one thing.

My suspicions were proven correct when my new roommate emerged from the formerly empty bedroom.

And here comes the part where I reveal I got what every insecure male teenager and college student only dreamed of: my new roommate was a girl.

Yes, a girl. She had long reddish-brown hair and brown eyes. She was wearing a dark blue shirt and a pair of jeans that were the same color. She appeared to be about my age, give or take a couple of years in either direction.

"Are you Tobin?" she asked.

"That's me!"

"I'm your roomie!" she replied.

Our palms met, and she had a firm grip.

"I'm Cissnei," she greeted.

"It's nice to meet you, Cissnei," I replied.

We then sat down on the now-mutual sofa.

"I think I've seen you before," she said. "Around the Shinra building?"

"I'm there most evenings," I answered. "I'm at school during the day."

"Awesome," Cissnei said. "I'm there all the time. I do what I'm needed for."

I was relieved I wasn't stuck with a slob or a meth cook. Cissnei seemed like a nice girl. She was attractive, but I wouldn't call her hot. She didn't get at all confrontational or even go over any boundaries. She did, however, lock her door when she went to bed.

An hour later, I had retired to my room for the night. The last surprise of the day came when Yuffie friended me on social media. You would think that, after what she had pulled, that I would not only reject her, but block her.

But I didn't do that.

She was an ocean away, and I never gave out anything too personal.

So I accepted her.


	25. Weird-Looking Trees

Premonitions II: Chapter 25: Weird-Looking Trees

October 9, 0000

I woke up the next morning and showered. It was Monday morning, my least favorite time of the week. It meant there would be a whole week's worth of school.

I dressed and entered the common ground to hear the sound of a whistling kettle. I had nearly forgotten that I had a roommate now. This would take some getting used to. I stepped into the kitchen to see Cissnei pouring coffee.

She was dressed in a blue business suit and tie. I was almost stunned; I had never seen a girl dress like that before. I then recognized the kind of suit she was wearing. It could mean only one thing.

"You're a Turk?" I asked.

"Surprise!" Cissnei replied. "The apartment just got a lot safer."

I stood there awkwardly for a bit. Hell, I was associated with the Shinra myself, but I never expected to be sharing an apartment with a Turk. I actually didn't even know there were female Turks to begin with.

"Well, I'm off to school," I announced.

"Behave yourself," she said playfully. "You live with a Turk now."

I nodded and turned for the door.

"Hey wait!" Cissnei objected.

"What's up?" I asked.

"You didn't eat breakfast!" she complained.

"It's not the most important meal of the day," I insisted.

"But you can't go to school on an empty stomach!" she retorted. "Take one of my power bars."

Not wanting to argue, I did as I was told and was then out the door. I almost thought Cissnei was trying to mother me. She seemed around my age, but I could have been a year or two off in either direction.

In any case, she was beyond annoying.

LATER THAT DAY...

"Cissnei?" asked Durham with a skeptical look on her face.

"Cissnei," I confirmed.

"Is that her first name or her last?" Durham asked me.

"I didn't ask," I replied.

"And you're okay rooming with a girl?" she asked.

"Sure," I replied. "We still get our own private rooms."

"Where do you know her from?" she questioned.

"I don't," I answered. "The Shinra assigned her there. They're giving me the apartment, so I don't really have a choice."

"Does she have a boyfriend?" Durham asked.

"Not that I know of," I replied.

"She hasn't...tried anything funny, has she?"

"No way," I dismissed. "She's a Turk."

"A Turk?!" Durham exclaimed. "How many are there?"

"Four, by my count," I replied.

I realized that this was an interrogation. Durham was obviously less than happy that my roommate was a girl. I didn't know what to think. She obviously liked me, but she seemed a little insecure.

LATER...

Near the end of the day, it was another story.

"You're new roommate's a girl?!" Aerith exclaimed. "You're lucky!"

"Not really," I honestly replied. "She's kind of annoying. She wouldn't let me leave without a power bar."

Aerith giggled.

"You have a mommy away from home now!"

At least she didn't seem jealous.

LATER...

That night, I got an instant message on social media.

"So you're new roommate's a girl?" Yuffie asked me.

I sighed. Word travels fast.

"That's right," I typed back.

"Does she change in front of you?" Yuffie asked.

"No," I typed back.

"Did you walk in on her?" she then asked me.

Realizing Yuffie just wanted to be immature, I quickly logged out.

It did make me wonder, though. I was still on the fence about whether I wanted to date Durham or Aerith. Durham was initially winning; hell, she took her pants off for me. Aerith, meanwhile, not only kept her pants on, but her belt buckled tightly. On the other hand, Aerith didn't get the least bit jealous about Cissnei, and Durham obviously did.

As I spent too much time pondering this, weeks began to fall off the calendar, and one day I found myself at the school Halloween party. Aerith was a devil. Durham was a slutty devil. The latter was sent home for being a slutty devil.

More weeks fell off the calendar after that.

November 10, 0000

And then, one day at work, it occurred to me that I hadn't cloaked myself and gone where I shouldn't have gone for a while. So I did just that. I was wondering how Zack was doing, and what the hell happened with Angeal.

I cloaked myself as usual and took the elevator to the forty-ninth floor.

"Man, what is with Angeal?" I heard Zack say as I got off of the elevator. "How long is he gonna slack off like this? It's been a month now!"

He still wasn't over it.

"Sephiroth's got it all wrong, too!" Zack continued. "Lumping Angeal together with Genesis! Genesis is a deserter who took a bunch of seconds and thirds with him! He used his copies to attack us! Angeal would never condone something like that! He valued his SOLDIER honor more than anyone else! Ugh! Everything's so messed up these days! Angeal! Just come back, please!"

He then came into my view. He was doing squats, obviously to blow off steam.

Suddenly, I heard Zack's phone ring. He stopped his squats and answered it.

"SOLDIER Second Class Zack Fair?" asked an unfamiliar voice.

"That would be me," Zack replied. "Who is this?"

The other voice dodged the question.

"Director Lazard wants to see you," he replied. "Go to the briefing room."

"Hey!" Zack exclaimed. "Wait!"

Click.

"Who was that?" Zack asked out loud.

I followed him to the briefing room. I saw Lazard sitting at his desk, with his fist in his face. He was not at all happy.

"Any word on Angeal?" Zack asked.

"He hasn't contacted his family either," Lazard replied as he folded his arms.

"So what's this about?" Zack inquired.

"A new assignment," Lazard answered. "I want you to go to the hometown of our missing SOLDIER First Class, Genesis."

"Huh?" asked Zack as he leaned in.

Lazard folded his hands.

"According to the parents, they've had no contact with Genesis whatsoever. But, they can't be trusted."

"Why?" Zack asked.

"They're his family," Lazard replied. "I had already dispatched some staff, but we've lost contact. I want you to go and investigate. He will go with you."

As he finished, I noticed a man was walking over. He appeared to be from the Western Peninsula, and had his hair back in a small pony tail. He was wearing a suit identical to Cissnei's. Like I told Durham, there were four Turks by my count. This was the second nicest one, after Cissnei.

"Tseng, of the Turks," he greeted.

I recognized his voice; it was the stranger who had called Zack earlier.

"This job is looking really gloomy," Zack muttered.

Lazard became annoyed and put his fist to his mouth.

Tseng ignored the comment.

"Let me know when you're ready to go."

Just then, Zack's cell phone rang.

"Oh, excuse me," he said as he answered it, which neither Lazard or Tseng visibly objected to.

"Hello?"

"Yeah, this is Kunsel," the voice replied. "Did you read my mail?"

"Not yet," Zack said. "I'll read it later. I'm kinda in a meeting right now."

"Ah, gotcha," said Kunsel. "Hey, can I talk to you after that, though?"

"Well," Zack replied, "if you keep it short, I guess. Haven't got much time."

"Yeah yeah, it'll be short," Kinsey assured him. "I'll be outside the briefing room."

LATER...

After I finished my shift, I cloaked myself again and returned to the SOLDIER floor. I found Zack and Kunsel outside of the briefing room.

"Hey, Zack," Kunsel greeted. "What do you say we go down to Sector Eight? You can go to Sector Eight through the first floor entrance as well. Let's head over. You should always go do as much as you can before an assignment, so you have no regrets."

"Ummm...sure?" Zack agreed.

I followed them into the elevator, out the main entrance, and through the arch with a big number eight painted on it. They stopped by the fountain.

"Well, here we are in Sector Eight," Kunsel announced. "I guess we should split up here."

"What?" Zack exclaimed. "You bring me out here, and now you're leaving me?"

"You have an assignment waiting, don't you?" Kunsel replied. "Wouldn't it be quicker to go around just by yourself? The Shinra Building is straight ahead that way when you're ready to go back. So, I'll see ya, Zack. I'll send you another mail when I find the time."

Kunsel then turned and walked away.

Zack's first encounter was three women. I quickly wondered which one he would hit on first.

"Pardon me," said the short-haired one, "but are you a SOLDIER operative?"

"I sure am," Zack replied. "Zack's the name. Nice to meet you!"

"Zack?" asked the dark-skinned one. "Never heard of you. You must be SOLDIER second-rate."

"We were just talking about who the greatest SOLDIER operative might be," explained the short-haired one. "I think it's Angeal. That air of solemnity about him, and he's thrifty to boot! He's absolutely charming."

Obviously, she had not gotten wind of Angeal's desertion.

"If we're talking about the greatest in SOLDIER," insisted the dark-skinned one, "I can't think of anyone greater than Sephiroth. Just imagining him stripped to the waist makes me dizzy."

"Both of you!" snapped the brunette. "What are you talking about? It's got to be Genesis! There's no one greater in SOLDIER!"

"I never knew SOLDIER First Classes had so many female fans," Zack observed aloud.

At this point, Zack realized his chances of getting laid were close to zero. He thus returned to to the Headquarters.

"Hey, Zack," greeted Kunsel. "Finally made it back, did you? Weren't you in the middle of an assignment? You should get going. The Turks guy is waiting for you in the briefing room."

If I were Zack, I would have kicked Kunsel's ass for that. But, instead, he went straight to the SOLDIER floor.

"Ready to go on the assignment?" Tseng asked as Zack returned.

"I'm ready," Zack replied.

"Very good, then," Tseng said.

"A routine job, right?" asked Zack. "No sweat!"

"I wonder," muttered Tseng. "Originally, Sephiroth was assigned to this mission. That means it's a top-priority matter. Be alert, or you'll fail."

"And Sephiroth?" Zack asked in surprise.

"Refusing to go, apparently," Tseng replied.

"Oh, what is that?" Zack sighed. "They spoil him too much!"

"Why don't you say that to his face?" Tseng suggested.

"Uh, no thanks!" Zack dismissed as he placed his hands on his face.

November 11, 0000

The next day, being a Saturday, I was able to cloak myself and follow Zack and Tseng to Banora.

The first thing Zack noticed upon setting foot in that town were the trees. They grew from the ground like normal ones, but then turned a hundred and eighty degrees, with their tops touching the ground again. Their leaves and fruits grew from the middle. Curiously, someone had planted these particular trees so that they formed a tunnel.

Tseng simply began walking through the tunnel, as if he had seen it a million times before.

Zack, however, seemed surprised.

"Weird-looking trees," he observed.

"These are Banora White trees," Tseng replied. "A. K. A. dumbapples."

Zack became uneasy, remembering where he had heard that term before.

"Wait, that means we're in Banora?" he asked. "Angeal's hometown?"

"That is correct," Tseng answered. "Genesis and Angeal have known each other for a long time."

Just then, two figures appeared several yards in front of them. The looked identical to Genesis.

Knowing what they were, Zack immediately drew his sword and charged them, impaling them both easily.

As Zack stood over the bodies, Tseng approached him from behind.

"These guys!" Zack exclaimed. "I saw them in Wutai, too!"

"So they are here," Tseng observed. "We haven't seen any of the townspeople. They may have taken control of the entire town. When Genesis deserted, he took a large arsenal of weapons with him. The president's orders are to retrieve or destroy these weapons immediately upon discovery."

"Leave it to me," Zack said confidently.

Eventually, they reached the end of the tunnel, and the first building in Banora presented itself.

And in front of the building were two Genesis copies and a Guard Spider.

The two Genesis copies charged Zack, still giving him enough time to draw his sword and kill them both.

The copies turned out to be the least of his concerns. The Guard Spider suddenly game alive, targeting Zack immediately. With little warning, it fired from its left cannon.

I was fully expecting Zack to duck, but, instead, he drew his sword. As the bullet came by, the sword slashed it into two pieces.

I though he was crazy; that bullet could have exploded on contact.

"The president won't be disappointed!" Zack shouted triumphantly.

The Guard Spider began to advance on him, raising both of its cannons.

Realizing that it was do or die, Zack charged the Guard Spider, driving his sword into the red core between the cannons.

The Guard Spider let out a hideous noise before falling silent.

Zack withdrew his sword and inspected one of the nearby corpses.

"A Genesis copy," he observed.

"Where did you hear that?" Tseng demanded.

"Sephiroth said it," Zack clarified.

"The technology was stolen from our scientists," Tseng explained. "It apparently allows Genesis's abilities and traits to be transplanted to SOLDIER members and monsters."

"SOLDIER and monsters," sighed Zack. "We're the same?"

Not responding, Tseng proceeded to an opening in the stone fence on the right.

Zack went to inspect the Guard Spider.

"It's not gonna start moving again, is it?" he asked rhetorically.

"Zack, stop playing around," Tseng ordered. "We have to hurry. Internal issues like these must be dealt with before the public finds out. Still no sign of the townspeople. Let's check the houses."

Beyond the fence stood a large house with a windmill.

"This is Genesis's home," Tseng announced. "His parents are wealthy landowners."

Zack was not listening. His attention was on another dumbapple tree.

"But I never stole from that tree, because the wealthy man's son was my friend." he remembered Angeal saying. Slowly, he put it together.

Then, Tseng explained it.

"They weren't mere acquaintances. They grew up together, and were best friends."

"So Genesis deserts and gets his best friend Angeal to join him," Zack inferred. "Is that it?"

"Sephiroth believes that's the case," Tseng replied. He then pointed his finger to a pile of rocks under a tree. "There. A gravestone. Still very new. Zack, go find Angeal's house. I'll check the grave."

Zack groaned, realizing that Tseng had to inspect the resident stiff.

"So Turks always do this stuff?"

"Someone has to do it," Tseng answered.

"Must be rough," Zack said.

"Don't worry," Tseng assured him. "We're paid much better than you are."

"No way!" Zack exclaimed.

Unfortunately, that was true; Turks were the second highest paid Shinra employees, after the executives.

"Zack," ordered Tseng, "go and check Angeal's house. It should be in the group of houses over there. Be careful, the town may already be under the enemy's control."


	26. Zack the Puppy

Premonitions II: Crisis Core

Chapter 26: Zack the Puppy

November 11, 0000

Banora was located roughly fifty miles east of Mideel. It was a quiet town, not unlike Gongaga.

Zack got to work right away, curiously opening doors without knocking. He would get forgiven by some and yelled at by others. After several fails, Zack was able to locate Angeal's house.

The house was dark inside. A middle-aged woman wearing a green scarf was sitting alone at a table.

"Can I help you?" she asked.

"Uh, greetings, ma'am!" Zack awkwardly greeted. "Are you Angeal's mother?"

The woman just sat there, unresponsive.

"My name is Zack," he continued.

She remained unresponsive for a few moments. Then, she slowly turned her head to face him.

"Are you Zack, the puppy?" she asked.

"Excuse me?" asked Zack, confused.

"My son wrote to me once about you," Angeal's mother clarified. "Zero attention span, restless as a little puppy."

I laughed my ass off. For a second, I thought she had some kind of dementia.

"Thanks, Angeal," Zack groaned.

"You're not here together with Genesis, are you?" asked Angeal's mom.

"No, I'm not." Zack assured her. "Don't worry."

"What is happening with my son?" she asked.

"I'm not really sure," he replied.

"Genesis came back here," Angeal's mom began, "a month ago, with an army of cohorts. And they proceeded to take the lives of many townspeople. Genesis...he used to be such a good boy."

"Is Angeal...?" Zack began to ask, but he stopped himself. He couldn't bear to finish.

"He came here," she replied, looking at Zack again. "But, he left his sword and went off somewhere."

Zack turned his attention to the wall. Slowly, he walked over to inspect the sword that Angeal had left there.

"That sword represents our family's honor," she said.

Zack continued to look, but he didn't dare touch.

"I see," he said. "No wonder." He then turned to face Angeal's mom. "He never uses this sword, really ever." He walked over to her, and knelt to her level. "I'll take care of Angeal. You should go and hide somewhere."

"Don't be concerned," she dismissed. "Genesis...cannot harm me."

Zack stood up, and took another look at the sword.

I felt sorry for Angeal's mom. Her name was Gillian, and she was basically taking care of the household after Angeal's father literally worked himself to death. She was certainly a responsible woman, unlike Mary Ellen. I'll tell you more about her later. Have a puke bucket handy when I do.

A few moments later, Zack found himself outside again.

"Angeal," he sighed out loud. "Where did you go?"

And then, a loud crash sounded.

"What!?" he exclaimed.

The sound had come from the edge of town. Zack rushed over to find what I had been expecting.

"Genesis copies!?" he exclaimed.

There were three of them. This time, Zack didn't even bother drawing his sword. He had brought some fire materia with him, and used it to dispatch the three.

As Zack was standing over the charred corpses, his cell rang.

"Hello?" said Zack as he answered it.

"There's a factory on the outskirts of town," Tseng announced. "I saw a Genesis copy go inside."

"You think that's their headquarters?" Zack asked.

"Most likely," Tseng replied. "I'm currently on a cliff overlooking the factory. A frontal attack is inadvisable. We'll go in from above. Come to the clifftop immediately."

I followed Zack to the factory, but, low and behold, he went to the front anyway.

He then got another phone call.

"I said come to the clifftop," Tseng reprimanded. "Weren't you listening? A frontal assault is inadvisable. Remember, this is a reconnaissance mission."

Zack sighed and hung up. To his credit, he did find the right way after that. He met Tseng on the top of a cliff, and it was a royal pain in the ass to follow him there. Tseng was on his knees, staring at what looked like more of a greenhouse than a factory.

"Genesis's parents were in that grave," Tseng announced.

"Wait, he... his own family?" Zack exclaimed as he knelt beside him.

"We can't expect reason from him," Tseng warned. "What about Angeal?"

"He wasn't at the house," Zack replied. "But please, give me time! If I find Angeal, I can talk to him. If I can convince Angeal, maybe Genesis will come back, too."

Tseng looked at Zack.

"I understand now why Sephiroth chose you."

"Huh?" asked Zack.

"Genesis and Angeal," Tseng continued. "Those two were Sephiroth's only friends. He didn't want to fight them. That's why he refused the mission."

"Well, Angeal is my friend, too!" Zack insisted.

"He's counting on you to bring them both back," Tseng said as he stood up. "Time is short. Let's go."

Zack stood up and cracked his knuckles. He then took several steps back.

Wait a minute, I thought. You're not doing what I think you're doing?

Unfortunately, he was. Running as fast as he could, he leaped over the chasm, and disappeared into the glass roof.

Then the damnedest thing happened: Tseng did it himself.

Realizing that I would not likely fall to my death, I repeated the feat. The landing was somewhat hard, but it didn't kill me.

"Infiltration successful!" Zack shouted.

Unfortunately, that announcement alerted three Genesis copies, who began to approach. I hid behind three boxes.

"Go on ahead," Zack told Tseng. "I'll take care of things here."

Tseng ran down a flight of metal stairs as Zack incinerated the copies with a fire spell. After that, he scanned the area.

"Zack, this way," Tseng called from a lower platform. "Keep an eye out for enemies."

Zack followed. When he reached the floor, three more Genesis copies approached, along with a heli-gunner-a double machine gun that hovered above ground with a propeller.

Zack knew exactly what to do; he stood between the help-gunner and the copies. The rest wrote itself; Zack ducked as the heli-gunner began to fire, pumping all three copies with bullets. Zack then stabbed the heli-gunner's core.

Meanwhile, Tseng stood in a doorway leading to another room.

"Zack, this way," he ordered.

Tseng led Zack through several storage rooms to what appeared to be the foreman's office. A computer was on, and Tseng waisted no time inspecting it.

"Looks like the copies are being made here," Tseng said. "Check the second floor. Genesis may be there."

Zack did as he was ordered. As he climbed the metal stairs, he began to hear a voice.

"Infinite in mystery is the gift of the goddess," the voice began. "We seek it thus, and take to the sky. Ripples form on the water's surface. The wandering soul knows no rest."

As he reached the top of the stairs, Zack saw a man sitting on the floor beneath the window. He had brown hair, and was wearing black slacks and a purple coat. Zack recognized the man from the computer file; this was Genesis.

Genesis slowly turned his head, and made eye contact.

"Settle down, Zack the Puppy," he taunted.

Zack groaned as Tseng came running up the stairs. He took a look at what appeared to be a containment chamber, where another Genesis copy was taking form.

"The grave at the house," Tseng gasped as he turned to Genesis. "We found the remains of our people there as well."

"It didn't take much to have them send false reports," Genesis replied without making eye contact. "Just some mild threats."

"They would have done that anyway," Zack snapped. "At least your parents would have."

"My parents betrayed me," Genesis retorted. "They had always betrayed me, from the very beginning. What do you know? Shinra lapdogs!"

Suddenly, Genesis' hand began to glow. Before anyone could react, he cast what appeared to be a fire spell on Tseng, causing him to hit the wall and his suit to go ablaze.

Zack instinctively drew his sword.

And then, he felt someone yank it out of his hands.

He looked up to Angeal passing him, facing Genesis.

"Welcome, partner," Genesis greeted.

Without responding verbally, Angeal took Zack's sword and aimed it at Genesis.

"I see," Genesis said calmly. "You've finally made your decision. I'll respect your wishes, old friend." He began to walk toward Angeal. "However, can you really live on that side?"

For a second, I thought there was going to be a fight. But, instead, Genesis simply passed him and walked out of the factory.

"Angeal!" Zack initially called as he ran to greet him.

Angeal quickly shoved Zack aside and placed his sword in the ground.

The stunned Zack took a long look at his former friend.

Then Angeal, too, turned and exited the building.

Wasting no time, Zack grabbed his sword and ran after him. He entered the next room to find it deserted.

"Damn!" Zack shouted. "Where did he go? Did he leave the factory?"

Suddenly, the front doors opened. Two menacing quadrupeds, known as Blood Tastes, were standing there, ready to attack.

As Zack prepared to draw his sword, someone approached from behind and shot the creatures dead. Zack turned to see Tseng behind him, armed with a gun.

Yeah, I know. You probably thought Tseng was dead. That happens a lot. I thought he died there, too. Later on, I heard he died at the Temple of the Ancients, and, after that, I heard he was killed in the destruction of Junon. But he turned out alive all three times. I wonder how many lives he has left. Will they eventually run out, like in a video game?

Anyway, back to the story.

"There's no time," Tseng said. "We have to leave now."

"We're not gonna go look for those two?" Zack protested.

"All evidence of misconduct must be erased," Tseng replied. "Company rules." His face then became solemn. "An airstrike will neutralize this town."

Just then, three more Blood Tastes ran into the factory. Zack braces himself as Tseng stood calmly.

"Are you sure that nobody is at Angeal's house?" the latter asked.

Zack did not respond.

"Hurry!" Tseng ordered.

Zack ran out of the factory. I tried to follow him, but he was a hell of a lot faster. I knew he was headed for the town to warn Angeal's mom. I soon began to hear explosions. That was no airstrike; that had to be Genesis and/or Angeal doing some kind of dirty work.

By the time I finally caught up with Zack, he was sweaty, suggesting he had been engaged in some sort of combat. As he came into view, he was reaching for his ringing cell phone.

"The attacks have stopped," Tseng announced on the other end. "Looks like you fended off most of the attacks. I just received word that the airstrike is about to commence. You have to hurry."

"I hope Angeal's mom is all right," Zack sighed as he hung up the phone. "I have to hurry!"

He darted off again. As I knew exactly where he was going this time, he was a lot easier to follow.

When he got to Angeal's house, Zack's phone went off again.

"I explained our situation and had them briefly delay the airstrike," Tseng announced. "That will buy you some time."

"Thanks, Tseng!" Zack replied.

"Those cannon shells were Shinra-made as well," Tseng added. "You'll be rewarded for destroying evidence of the company's involvement in this matter."

Without further ado, Zack entered Angeal's house. Once he opened the door, a tragic sight presented itself.

Gillian was laying on her side, on the floor, dead.

Zack gasped in horror. He never knew the woman, but now that she was gone...

A shadow suddenly covered the body, and it wasn't Zack's. He quickly turned to see Angeal standing against the wall behind him, with his buster sword in his hand.

Realizing what had apparently taken place, Zack lost his ability to think carefully. He charged Angeal and grabbed his clothes, heedless of the sword he was was carrying.

"What the hell did you do, Angeal!?" he demanded before punching his former friend's face.

The punch had such force that it caused the new orphan to stagger backward through the doorway and fall to the ground.

"Is that...is that your idea of honor!?" Zack shouted.

"My mother could not continue to live," Angeal replied as he stood up. "And neither can the son."

"What are you talking about!" Zack demanded as he exited the house. "What's going on here?"

Suddenly, Genesis appeared. He had to have something to do with it.

"I told you," he said. "You can't live on that side anymore."

Angeal put his sword back and began to leave.

"Angeal!" cried Zack as he began to dart out of the house.

Genesis stuck his foot out, sending Zack to the ground.

"Angeal!" Zack continued again, forgetting that he had just been tripped.

"My friend, do you fly away now?" taunted Genesis.

"Shut up!" Zack shouted.

"To a world that abhors you and I?"

"Shut up!" Zack repeated, slightly louder.

"All that awaits you is a somber morrow," Genesis continued.

"Shut up," Zack shouted a third time as he began to rise. "I'm warning you!"

"No matter where the winds may blow I don't see Sephiroth today," Genesis said, "but are you game?"

Suddenly, Genesis' hand began to glow.

A moment later, Zack found himself in a bizarre void with a gold and black winged dragon bearing down on him.

Genesis had summoned Bahamut.

"A summon!?" Zack exclaimed. "So that's how it is, huh!"

Bahamut began to fire white fireballs from its wings. After dodging those, Zack drew his sword and charged at Bahamut. The creature quickly leaped into the air, landing several yards behind Zack.

Zack spun around in time to see Bahamut firing more white fireballs from its wings. Suddenly, Zack got an idea. He swung his sword at one of the incoming fireballs, deflecting it, and causing it to strike Bahamut right between the eyes.

After a hideous squeal, Bahamut fell to the ground, dead.

Zack quickly returned to the real world. Genesis stood with his back turned.

"Summons aren't meant to be used like this!" Zack reprimanded. "What happened to dreams and honor?"

"We are monsters," Genesis replied, as he flaunted a black wing in his left side. "We have neither dreams nor honor."

With that, Genesis ascended into the sky.

Zack was left alone.

"SOLDIER doesn't mean monster," he said to himself.

The air strike was called in, and Banora went up in flames. A chopper suddenly hovered near Zack and opened its door, where Tseng signaled for Zack to embark.

With his last glimpse, Zack could see the Banora trees, along with their fruit, burning to a crisp.

"Angeal," he whispered.

November 12, 0000

I returned home somewhat shaken up. Until that day, I had never seen anyone kill their own mother. I had seen people die before, and I have expected a few casualties on this mission, but matricide was kind of a shock.

This time, I got smart and never told Aerith nor Durham that I was going somewhere dangerous. But, there was one person I couldn't hide my absence from.

"Tobin?" I heard Cissnei's voice call me as I entered my apartment.

Her voice was coming from her room. I passed it, expecting it to be shut and locked again, but, instead, I found it wide open, with Cissnei, in her blue tee and jeans, sitting on her bed.

"Well, come on in!" she invited.

"You sure?" I asked, remembering that her door seemed often locked.

"Of course," she said as she motioned for me to come in. "Why not?"

"I've seen your door locked a lot," I replied.

"Oh," Cissnei laughed. "That's only after I've gone to bed. I sleep like a cartoon animal, and that's the most I'll ever say."

I scratched my head, wondering what that meant.

"So where've you been?" she asked. "By that tan of yours, it looks like you went to the Southern Island."

"I went to Mideel," I quickly lied. "To see my grandma."

"Well," Cissnei continued, "it's good you stayed away from Banora."

"What happened there?" I asked, furthering the deception.

"You don't want to know," she replied. "They actually sent one of us there. I wanted to go, but they said it was too dangerous. So they sent Tseng instead. I think it was because I'm female."

"That sucks," I said.

"Hey," she began as she pulled her phone from her jeans pocket, "can we be phone buddies?"

"Sure," I agreed, realizing she would likely make a stink if we weren't. "In case one of us gets locked out?"

"That, and I was kind of worried about you," she added."

I didn't know what to think of that. It was nice that she cared about me, but I realized that Aerith was right.

She was my mommy away from home.

December 30, 0000

School was out at the end of December. I went home for Christmas, and returned two days before New Year's.

Cissnei had been there the whole time. I was, at that time, surprised that she didn't go home and spend Christmas with her family, but I didn't bother to ask. Unlike her, I was capable of minding my own business.

Meanwhile, New Year's meant I would have a chance to kiss whichever girl was next to me when it hit midnight. As Durham was in the lead, I decided to ask her first.

"So what are we doing for New Year's?" I texted her after I had retired to my room for the night.

Knowing her, she would probably want to go to a lavish party or something.

"Just staying in," Durham texted back. "Just by myself."

That was weird. Just about everyone in my age group and ten years plus wanted to be out for the countdown.

"Want some company?" I then offered.

Maybe she was one of those girls who just liked to snuggle on the couch-and possible make out afterward.

"No thanks," was what I got back. "Just want to take a me day."

That didn't sound good. She had seemed interested in me. Hell, she even took her pants off and kissed me minutes later. Could she be having a sudden change of heart?

"Is something wrong?" I asked.

Maybe she was sick. I've been sick on New Year's before.

"I really don't like New Year's," she texted back.

I realized there was no arguing, so I quit.

It was when I began to question Miss Haverford.

December 31, 0000

So I spend New Year's Eve with Aerith instead. She was happy to hear I had wanted to spend it with her.

She was smiling when she greeted me at the door. She was wearing a red sweater, black slacks, and a pair of black boots to match. She was certainly dressed nicer than usual; whether this was for me or simply because it was New Year's was somewhat ambiguous.

The three of us went to the local diner for dinner. By the time we got back, it was eight-thirty, and still with a few hours to go before the countdown. Elmyra suggested we watch a movie.

Aerith's movies were all chick flicks. The only exception was a movie called_ Life with Burly Boy._ So, naturally, I selected it.

"It's sad," she warned.

"That's fine," I assured her.

_Burly Boy_ isn't exactly a chick flick; it's about a dog. It's sad because it's the biography of a dog, meaning it has a beginning, and it has an end. Get it?

The dog got put to sleep and so did I, but someone got upset when the end came. Tears were now streaming down Aerith's face as Burly Boy closed his eyes for the last time, and she grabbed my hand, squeezing it. Again, it was kind of ambiguous.

After Aerith finished drying her tears and blowing her nose, it was eleven, so we turned on the celebrations. They had the usual stuff, like the year in review, well-wishes from President Shinra, and that sad music with pictures of all the celebrities who died that year.

And then, the countdown. My heart began to race as Aerith scooted next to me as the final seconds of the year were counted. It seemed as if she wanted to kiss for sure.

5, 4, 3, 2, 1

Elmyra got up and kissed Aerith on the forehead. She then went over and did the same to me.

As far as Aerith herself went, we just hugged.

I wanted to kiss her, but if that was over-stepping, it would ruin our friendship for sure. So I sat there smiling at her, hoping she would make the move and kiss me instead.

But she never did.


	27. Birthday on the Beach

Premonitions II: Chapter 27: Birthday on the Beach

January 2, 0001

We were back in school the day after New Year's. It was a pain in the ass, since we all stayed up late the previous night. We were all relieved that it was at least the halfway point to the summer.

I walked by Durham as she was talking to a girl at her locker; she didn't notice me walking by. I was on my way to class and didn't want to be late, but all I heard Durham say was: "I spend New Year's with a guy friend."

So she lied to me; it was all I needed to hear.

It was a low blow. Now I was starting to consider forgetting about Miss Haverford.

January 18, 0001

I made a promise to myself that if Durham didn't turn up as my date for Logan's sixteenth birthday party, which turned out to be a dinner at Tropical Tastes in Sector Four, she was dropped from girlfriend consideration for sure.

Durham duly arrived on time. We went together, and we sat next to each other, but it was a disappointment after I walked her back to her big-assed house. She said good-bye and just went inside. No kiss, not even a hug. It was then that I realized that I should have taken Aerith.

By the way, it was the last time we saw Logan; he moved to Kalm at the end of the year.

Just in case you were wondering what had happened to him.

February 4, 0001

A month went by and nothing meaningful happened. I didn't see Zack for weeks, but I didn't need to. I made a shitload of cash from the pics I took in Banora. His mom was happy to know that he was alive and well after that whole incident. But what happened with Angeal had to have been eating him. Even Durham wouldn't go that crazy.

As for my life, I was still debating who to date. Durham was really pushing her luck by now, but Aerith, if she did have feelings for me, did a hell of a job bottling them up. Aerith might have been the more honest one, but Durham was bolder, and, despite her deceitfulness, seemed more ready to move forward with me. It was still a touch call to make.

That dilemma was resolved in early February. I was on my way to class when I heard a familiar soprano.

"Hey, you!" Aerith greeted.

"Hey yourself," I replied. "What are you up to?"

"Looking for lovable goofballs," she replied with a smile.

"At school?" I asked.

"I found one, didn't I?" she laughed.

I laughed back; it appeared she was flirting with me.

"Doesn't your roommate think so?" she continued.

"I wouldn't know," I replied. "I'm usually not home until late. She locks her door by then. She says it's because she sleeps like a cartoon animal. I don't know what that means. Do you?"

Aerith giggled.

"I'm afraid not," she replied. "So, I've been meaning to ask you something."

My mouth dried. For a second, I thought she was going to ask me out. She didn't, but it was almost just as good.

"It's my birthday this Saturday," she began. "We're going to take a charter to Costa del Sol for the day." She then looked at me and smiled. "It would mean a lot if you came."

See? Almost just as good. This would be my chance to know for sure.

"I'll be there," I confirmed.

"Great!" Aerith exclaimed as she hugged me.

This was almost too perfect. I would get a whole day with her and get to know her really well.

My teenage brain reminded me that I might even get to see her in a bikini.

I smirked at that.

12:00 p.m.

I saw her competitor on the way to my next class. She was wearing a pair of really tight jeans and a black crop-tank that would get her sent home sooner, rather than later. She came right up to me, with a serious look on her face.

"Tobin," she began, "can I talk to you about something?"

"Go ahead," I approved, half-expecting her to apologize and half-expecting her to move on.

It was the former.

"I'm really sorry I've been kind of off lately," she began.

"That's okay," I replied, even though it wasn't. She did lie to me about New Year's. Now it almost seemed like she was sucking up to me.

"I think it's because I need a boyfriend," Durham continued. "I feel like there's something really missing in my life."

I was silent. It seemed like she was asking me out, but I wasn't sure.

"Okay," she said, "I'm just going to say it."

"What's that?" I asked.

"I'd like you as my boyfriend," she answered.

I should've been beyond happy, but I was iffy. I mean, what guarantee did I have that she wouldn't pull more shit like she did before? New Year's was still on my mind, even a month later.

"I know what happened last month was kind of low," Durham continued.

"You gotta forgive," I said. I still wanted that option open.

"You don't have to decide now," she assured me.

"We can meet sometime and talk about it," I suggested. I wanted to see what happened at Aerith's birthday first.

"My house," Durham replied. "Saturday night at nine. You can tell me your decision then. Don't be late."

I nodded. It would be perfect; I would have made up my mind by then.

"Well," she said, "we can't be late for class, can we?"

We parted ways for the day. Then, something popped into my head. That...thing I was curious about.

"Hey Durham?" I called.

"What's up?" she asked as she turned her head.

"One more thing," I replied. "Do you know what it means to sleep like a cartoon animal?"

"Sleep like a cartoon animal?" Durham asked.

"That's what my roommate says she does and has to lock her door because of it."

"She sounds weird," Durham said. "But I have no clue."

So there I had it. February 7 would be a big day for me. It would be the day I officially decided who I would be dating.

I had more or less made up my mind already. It would probably be Aerith.

It would be nice for her to get a boyfriend for her sweet sixteen.

February 7, 0001

11:00 a.m.

Before I headed out, I noticed I had gotten a message on social media; it was from Yuffie. Sure enough, she wanted to rant.

"My mom told me about where babies come from!" it read. "Eeeeewwww!"

I sighed; this girl was a handful.

"That's was more than I wanted to know," I typed back, "but congratulations."

I then decided to ask her.

"Do you know what it means to sleep like a cartoon animal?" I typed.

"Sleep with a dream bubble above your head?" she responded. "Snore really loud? I dunno."

I sighed, figuring she didn't have the answer. She was the least dependable person I knew.

"I have to go," I typed. "I'm going to a friend's birthday party."

"Is your friend a girl?" Yuffie typed back.

"Yes," I replied.

"Are you going to make a baby with her?" she typed.

"Good-bye!" I sighed out loud as I closed the message box.

3:00 p.m.

Midgar had a small airport in Sector Three that was used exclusively for charter flights. We all boarded the charter shuttle at three. It was a surprisingly short ride that took only about twenty minutes.

Costa del Sol is on the Western Continent, but this was my first time there. It's known as the hottest spot on the planet, for two reasons. One, it never goes below eighty-five degrees there, largely because there's a hole in the ozone above. Two, the beach and boardwalk are full of bikinis and swim trunks, take your pick.

We were at a small area on the boardwalk with a small pool and a bar (which served nonalcoholic stuff, since we were all below drinking age). There were eight people there: three girls, two guys, myself, Elmyra, and Aerith.

Two of the girls were blondes that I recognized from the cheer squad. Neither of them talked to me; they were the type who only dated (or even talked to) jocks.

The third girl had black hair. I didn't recognize her at all; I figured she had slipped by. But, in any case, she sat down next to me and actually said hello.

"I'm Gehrig," she greeted.

"I'm Tobin," I replied.

"It's nice to meet you, Tobin," Gehrig said. "Where do you know Aerith from?"

"We met in September at the cafeteria," I replied. "She then started stalking me."

"Typical Aerith," Gehrig laughed.

"Where do you know her from?" I asked.

"Third grade," she replied. "The first day, she tried to sit next to me. She'll tell you I love pulling pranks. I pushed her chair away and made her fall on her butt. She didn't get upset. She just laughed. And she's been my best friend ever since."

A few minutes later, I found myself on a barstool with the birthday girl sitting next to me, sipping a glass of lemonade and pointing to the two other men who were here.

"Those are two of the guy cheerleaders," Aerith explained.

You know, the ones who are only there so they can lift them up by their asses.

"I haven't seen Gehrig at any games," I said.

"She's not on the squad," Aerith corrected. "She plays softball. We've just known each other since we were eight."

"She told me about what she did with the chair," I told her.

Aerith giggled.

"Gehrig's sweet most of the time, but she can be evil when she wants to."

Coincidentally, Gehrig was standing right behind her, placing her finger to her mouth and showing a wicked smirk on her face.

Before I could guess what was happening, Gehrig poked Aerith in the abdomen. The resulting reflex action caused her to twitch, dropping the glass of lemonade, and causing it to spill all over her lap.

Aerith was wearing a pair of dark green capris pants, but the spill still stuck out like a sore thumb.

"Gehrig!" Aerith exclaimed. "Now it looks like I peed my pants!"

"Well, duh!" Gehrig responded. "Should I buy you some diapers?!"

"And it's freezing!" Aerith continued.

Elmyra came over to console her.

Not wanting to look as if I was gawking, I turned away. I waited a good three minutes before I turned around again. When I did, I was in for one hell of a surprise.

Aerith was now facing the bar and drinking a new lemonade, but that's what I noticed the least. I was treated to a rather generous view of her bare leg, thigh, and the side of her butt. Her pants were folded on her lap.

At first, it looked like she was reversed-naked or bottomless or whatever you want to call it. On closer inspection (yes, I'm a guy, so I looked, but certainly didn't touch), I noticed that Aerith was wearing a bright blue thong bikini bottom.

I then looked away again, to avoid staring, though I certainly wanted to. I just couldn't believe it; she seemed like such a modest girl.

"Hey, Tobin," Aerith eventually called as she stood up. "Can you come with me, please?"

She turned her back to me, and I followed her. This was a struggle; I did everything I could to keep my eyes away from her butt, but there were a couple of times that I gave in. Thankfully, she didn't notice.

We got to a wooden railing that gave us a generous view of the beach and the ocean.

"I just wanted to say thanks for coming," Aerith began. "It means a lot." She then affectionately patted my shoulder.

I noticed that nobody else had gotten her a present. Fortunately, I did. I thus figured that this would be the perfect time, since we were alone.

Yes, I got her something. I wasn't originally going to. How did I change my mind? Take a wild guess.

FLASHBACK...

"You have to get her something!" Cissnei protested.

"We stopped doing that when we were twelve," I insisted.

"Do you have any idea how special that would make her feel?" she insisted. "I know! Girls like things like bath salt or body lotion. She would love it if you got her some!"

Did I mention how annoying Cissnei was yet?

...END FLASHBACK

Instead, I got Aerith a bracelet. It was one of those cheap ones, but she couldn't tell.

She put it on her wrist and gazed at it for a few seconds before gazing at me.

"You didn't have to," she whispered, as her eyes became wet.

She then hugged me, and gazed into my eyes again.

I was wondering if I should kiss her. I had a feeling she would like it, but part of me was thinking about how awkward it could get if that hadn't been what she was seeking. So I didn't do it.

I then noticed, out of the corner of my eye, that the two "guy cheerleaders" were taking one long look at Aerith's butt.

"They're staring," I said.

"Figures," Aerith sighed. "My mom said I could wear a thong today, but warned me about the stares from the guys. I guess she was two thirds right."

"You still wanted to wear it," I observed.

"I'm more of a woman than a girl," she explained, "and I want it to feel like it. Hence the thong."

"Sorry about those two," I said.

"At least you're not staring," she said.

"It's a rude thing to do," I pointed out.

"It means you actually see me as a person and not as a body," Aerith added with a smile.

"I always did," I assured her.

"Maybe it's not a thong I need to feel more like an adult," she said.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"I think what I really want is a boyfriend," she answered.

My palms became sweaty. I was fully expecting her to ask me out.

"I'm not getting any younger," she continued.

"You're only sixteen," I commented.

"I want to get married young," Aerith clarified. "I want to be a young mom who gets on the roller coasters with the kids."

This girl was certainly serious about what she wanted in life, especially for her age.

"Is this why you didn't plan on going to college?" I inquired.

"Partially," she admitted.

"You think you'll get married right out of high school?" I then asked her.

"I'm not sure," she replied. "But if it happens, it happens."

She was making eye contact and smiling at me the whole time. I was still waiting for her to say something about us. But, instead, we had a distraction.

"I smell weed," Aerith suddenly said. "I'm going over. Come join me, okay?"

I nodded.

I stood there as she walked away, enjoying the show, if you will. I knew she wouldn't admit it, but I could've sworn she had worn that thong for me.

As I watched, I saw a puff of smoke go by. I turned to see another man staring at Aerith's backside, sitting about a yard away from me. He was blond, and he was smoking a joint; that was where the smell was coming from.

"She likes you," the man said.

"You think?" I replied. I didn't want much to do with this guy, but the last thing I wanted was for Aerith to see me being a dick. So I tried to be as friendly as possible.

"Kid, I know a liking girl when I see one," the man said. "Chances are, she wore that thong for you."

"She wants to feel free and grown up," I corrected him.

"Bullshit," the man dismissed. "And she said she wants a boyfriend. That's the cue to ask her out."

That son of a bitch was eavesdropping.

"That's what I think," I told him. "But I could be wrong."

"There's one other way to be sure," he said.

Now this was getting interesting. Maybe I could finally get myself a peace of mind here.

"What's that?" I asked.

"Put your hand on her ass," the man replied.

"What?" I asked.

"Put you hand on her ass," he repeated. "If she pushes her ass against your hand, she likes you."

I looked at the man and noticed there was no ring on his finger.

"You're still single," I pointed out.

"I'm only twenty-five," the man replied. "I've got time. Listen, uh, Tyler..."

"Tobin," I corrected him.

"Right, Tobin. The name's Cid. Cid Highwind. Now we trust each other." He took another puff from his joint. "So, anyways, do what I told you to do. Then you'll know for sure."

"What if she smacks me?" I asked.

"Bad news early is good news!" Cid replied.

I gave him a nod, and then returned to where Aerith was.

"There you are!" she exclaimed.

"You weren't trying to ditch us, were you?" Gehrig playfully asked.

"Far from it," I assured her.

I hadn't forgotten Cid's advice, but I didn't do it. It was way to risky. I then turned to notice that Cid was gone. He was probably so high he wouldn't even remember me.

We then all stripped to our swimwear and spend the rest of the party in the pool.

9:00 p.m.

The party ended as the charter shuttle landed. We all said our good-byes and, soon, I was alone in the street.

It was clear to me that Aerith wanted me to ask her out. Being old fashioned, it seemed that she expected me to do the deed instead. So be it; I decided I would do it the next time I saw her.

Now there was only one loose end I still needed to tie up; I needed to give Durham the dreadful talking to.

Coincidentally, my phone buzzed.

"Meet me in my backyard," Durham's text read. "Pronto."

I took the train to Sector Five, and was soon at the boundary of Durham's backyard. The whole property was concealed by a perimeter of evergreens; you could only glimpse their humongous house from the mouth of their driveway.

Aerith had definitely pulled ahead at this point. She had basically meandered around all day in a thong; that would be kind of hard to beat. She was dropping hints left and right as well.

I heard a splash, indicating that someone was making use of the backyard pool.

"I'm going to watch TV in bed," I heard Mrs. Haverford call. "Don't stay out too late."

"I won't, mom," I heard Durham reply.

I squeezed my way through the evergreens just in time to see Mrs. Haverford, wearing one of those unflattering mom swimsuits, disappear into the patio and slide it closed behind her. It was perfect; I didn't want to humiliate Durham in front of her parents.

I slowly rotated my head to the left, allowing the pool to come into view; Durham wasn't in it. That was weird; I had just heard her voice.

I then heard the sound of bare feet climbing metal. At the end of the pool I was facing, there was a diving board thirty feet up. I slowly scanned the ladder upward as the climbing sound stopped.

Finally, my gaze reached the diving board.

I then saw a lot more of Durham than I had been expecting to.

She stood naked on the diving board with her arms raised in the air, giving me a generous look at her perfect body. She then dove in, creating a loud splash. As she emerged, she noticed me, and waved with a smile. Finally, she swam to the ladder in the back.

Durham climbed out of the pool, giving me an incredible view of her bare ass. She then began walking the perimeter of the pool, turning towards me and smiling as the distance between us got smaller and smaller.

Once again, she had outdone her competitor. This was not going to be easy.

"Hold it right there, pervert!" shouted an unpleasant male voice.

I turned to see Mr. Haverford to my right, angrily glaring at me, and with a cell phone in his hand, ready to call the cops.

"Daddy!" Durham protested. "He's a friend!"

"A friend?!" Mr. Haverford snapped. "At this hour? I don't think so." He then turned to me. "And you. Get off my property right now." He then reached into his pocket, producing a nine millimeter and pointing it between my eyes. "You ever set foot here again, you're a dead man."

I slowly backed away.

"Wait on the curb," Durham mouthed.

I felt the evergreens against my back, and soon saw Durham, her father, and the entire backyard disappear from my sight. A moment later, I was back on the street.

I sat on the curb, contemplating what had just happened. I had certainly not expected to find Durham skinny dipping in her backyard. Either she was a big free-spirit or she was trying to hook me. With her, anything went.

A moment later, I heard a rustle behind me. I stood up to greet the now clothed Durham. She had a solemn look on her face.

"I guess this won't take too long," she said sadly. "I know what my dad did didn't help."

She had a point. I would have to really make up with Mr. Haverford if we were going to be a couple. And then...

"Put your hand on her ass!" ordered Cid's voice in my head.

I don't know why I listened to him now when I didn't before. But I suddenly found myself gently resting my hand on her butt through her pants.

And, low and behold, she pushed it against my hand.

And she smiled.

"Does this mean your answer's 'yes?'" she asked hopefully.

She let me touch her ass. She definitely wanted to be more than friends. Her competitor had dropped a few hints, but never confirmed. Here, I knew. It was the wiser choice.

So I nodded.

"Yes, it is," I said.

Durham immediately threw her arms around me and kissed me.

"I promise I'll be a good girlfriend," she whispered.

We kissed a few more times before I realized that I needed to depart; it would not do if her father came back. We could both wait; we would see each other in school Monday anyway.

As I was leaving, I was genuinely happy. Durham was a beautiful girl, and nice most of the time. Yeah, I know she fucked up on New Year's, but, hell, nobody's perfect.

My smile faded when the obvious struck my mind.

"How's Aerith going to take this?" I asked myself.

THE STUFF THAT MIGHT HAVE GONE UNNOTICED...

Aerith's sixteenth birthday party was actually mentioned in the original Premonitions, when Aerith is showing Cloud old pictures. She describes the incident with the lemonade, along with mentioning Tobin and Gehrig, who otherwise are not seen nor mentioned in the story.


	28. Unhappy Months

Premonitions II: Crisis Core

Chapter 28: Unhappy Months

February 8, 0001

I had my first formal date with Durham the next evening. For obvious reasons, we met in public, rather than the Haverford Estate.

We kept it casual, leaving it one of those informal tee shirt and jeans dates. We ended up going to the shopping complex, where where two hours were spent with her trying on clothes (despite the previous night, she valued her privacy in the fitting room), and another two hours were spent with her trying on shoes. I had never had a girlfriend, or even been on a date before, so I just went with the flow. Yes, it got bothersome after the first half hour, but what the hell was I going to do?

We ended up eating at Xing Garden for dinner, on my nickel, obviously. Despite the fact that Durham had a hell of a lot of more money than I did, I still felt the need to be a gentleman, and she certainly appreciated it. In any case, she smiled and held hands with me the whole time, so it was all worth it.

Outside the food court, I saw the damndest thing. There was a giant moogle standing there with a cat on top. The cat had a crown, cape, and a megaphone in its hand. And it talked, by the way; it had an accent like it was from McDougal Island. We'll visit that place near the end of this journal, by the way.

"You there!" the cat greeted.

Durham gave the creature a funny look.

"Yeah, you!" the cat continued. "You look like a cute couple!"

"Thanks," my blond companion said, trying to be polite. It so happened that we were both dog people.

"The name's Cait Sith," the cat introduced. "I read fortunes. Would you like yours read?"

"Sure," Durham replied in a neutral tone of voice, mainly to get him over with. It was obvious that he wasn't going to leave us alone.

"Ten gil," Cait Sith said.

I covered it. Again, I was a gentleman.

With that, Cait Sith started doing this weird dance.

"What the hell is this?" Durham mouthed to me, obviously unimpressed.

"Yellow to black to...red?" Cait Sith finally said.

What a letdown. Of course, I knew it was all bullshit anyway.

"You call that a fortune?" I demanded angrily.

"I think I've had enough," Durham said.

We then left the complex. We went to my place, where, as Cissnei wasn't home, we were free to make out on the couch.

We kissed and ran our hands over each other's clothes. She kept her pants on this time, though. I tried to initiate, but she kept it stalled.

"Nothing's coming off tonight," she gasped between kisses.

It did kind of make sense. Despite what we had already been through, it was still a first date.

February 9, 0001

I went to school the next morning happy. I had a girlfriend, which was something I could never say before. I was so happy I wanted to tell everyone I saw.

But I didn't. The first people I knew who I saw there were Aerith and Gehrig. They were chatting by the former's locker, which had her name decorated on it. I would have to think of how to kindly tell Aerith that she lost.

"Hi Tobin!" They both greeted in unison.

"Hey, ladies," I greeted back.

I noticed that Aerith was dressed differently; she was wearing a white tank top and white skirt with blue stripes. It made her look very soft and feminine.

Then it hit me like a kick in the nuts: she might have dressed like that for me. Hell, she might have even bought the outfit for me. She didn't know I had a girlfriend yet. I realized that I needed to tell her as soon as possible.

"Hey there!" suddenly shouted a low baritone of a voice.

I turned to see Ronaldo approaching the three of us. We all groaned inside; he was a notorious perverted pigpen.

Ronaldo was one of the fatter ones. He played the bass drum in band, but that was his only activity. Other than that, he was just seen waddling through the halls and goofing off.

"So Aerith," he began, "I heard you turned sixteen last Saturday."

"That's right," she replied skeptically as she folded her arms; she knew he was up to no good.

In response, Ronaldo turned a hundred and eighty degrees and pulled down his pants and boxers, exposing is fat ass to the two girls.

Half of a car steering wheel was drawn in marker on one cheek. The other half was drawn on the other.

"So are you going to learn to drive now?" he asked.

"Ew!" squealed Aerith as Gehrig looked away in disgust.

"Hold it right there!" I suddenly heard a familiar voice shout.

I turned to see Cissnei approaching, dressed in her Turk suit and leading two Shinra infantryman.

"Sorry!" Ronaldo apologized as he quickly pulled his pants up and gave Cissnei a sheepish look.

For some reason, Aerith also had a nervous look on her face.

"Take him away!" Cissnei ordered.

I never thought mooning could warrant a visit from the Turks.

"You don't need to arrest him," Aerith said, looking more relieved. "Everybody has a butt."

"That's not what we're arresting him for," Cissnei dismissed. "Surveillance spotted him outside Headquarters last night. He took his bass drum and tried to bowl down a flagpole."

The infantrymen cuffed Ronaldo and escorted him away.

Cissnei then turned to me.

"You again!" she greeted.

"That's right," I said.

"I almost forgot you went to school here," Cissnei pointed out. She then turned to Aerith. "Is this your girlfriend?" she asked.

Aerith quickly shook her head.

"We're just friends," she replied.

"Oh," Cissnei said. "My bad."

With that, she walked away.

"Did she make you uncomfortable?" I asked.

Aerith shook her head.

Just then, the warning bell rang.

"I gotta get upstairs!" Gehrig announced as she walked off.

"My class is next to yours," Aerith said with a smile. "Walk with me?"

I nodded with a sad little smile as we began to make our way to class. This was where I had to tell her.

"When did you get that outfit?" I asked her for an icebreaker.

"Over the weekend," she replied. "I wanted to look a little more girly."

"It looks good on you," I complimented.

"Thanks," she said.

And then, we passed my locker. I saw that it now had my name on it with construction paper cut-outs. At the bottom was a heart with the words "Love, Durham XOXO" written on it.

Durham had decorated my locker.

Aerith stopped and scanned my locker for several seconds.

My stomach tightened. It looked like I wouldn't have to tell her after all.

"Tobin," Aerith finally began, "is Durham...your girlfriend now?"

I had to be honest.

"Yes," I replied. "She is. Since Saturday night."

"Oh," she said in a neutral voice. "That's nice."

We finished our trip to our classrooms, but Aerith was quiet the whole way there. She just gave me a weak smile before disappearing into her classroom.

She did an okay job of hiding it, but I got the vibe that her heart was most certainly broken.

LATER...

March 17, 0001

We had the second half of the school day as a St. Patrick's Day celebration. We had a dance party, mainly to wear us out so we wouldn't engage in any underage drinking.

Aerith and Gehrig were both wearing green baby shirts and blue jeans with patches of green paint on them. Meanwhile, Durham was sick that day, thus leaving me to miss the slow dances.

During the first and second ones, I stood on the side and watched the more fortunate couples. By the third, it became so awkward that I retreated to a deserted part of the cafeteria. I stood alone, looking out the window.

"Hey, you!" greeted a familiar voice.

I turned to see Gehrig approaching. She had obviously seen me leave.

"Hey yourself," I greeted.

"What are you doing all by yourself?" she asked.

"Durham's home with a sore throat," I replied.

"Oh," Gehrig said. "I'm sorry to hear that." She paused. "Why don't you come hang with us? We really haven't seen you in a while."

"I think Aerith is mad at me," I said.

Gehrig gave me a skeptical look.

"She's not," she assured me. "why would she be?"

"Because I'm dating Durham," I replied.

Gehrig laughed and shook her head.

"Don't worry about that," she assured me. "She's happy for you. She loves you like a brother, you know."

"Like a brother?" I asked. "You mean she doesn't have a crush on..."

"She doesn't," Gehrig interrupted. "I even once asked her if she wanted to date you. She said she didn't want to ruin your friendship."

"Oh," I said.

It was kind of one of those things that was both disappointing and liberating at the same time.

"Aerith just wants a boyfriend," Gehrig explained. "She wants to get married right out of high school."

"I remember she did say something like that," I said.

"Lots of people think Aerith is weird, but I'm not one of them," Gehrig continued. "She was just unfortunate enough to have been born in wrong decade."

"Come again?" I asked.

"She would've fit in really well forty or fifty years ago, when that was a girl's lot in life. She wouldn't have even finished high school back then."

I turned to watch Aerith dancing to the music. I knew she would make some lucky guy a good girlfriend. If something did happen between me and Durham, and she wanted to talk, I could definitely sit still long enough to listen.

"Well, don't be too anti-social," Gehrig said as she walked away singing.

That's one thing I forgot to mention: Gehrig always sang a lot. She was singing during Aerith's party, especially in the pool. Sometimes I would hear her singing in the halls on the way to class as well.

There was just something unique about her voice: it was soothing. Whenever Gehrig sang around me, I felt easier. I think it made everyone feel that way.

LATER...

April 1, 0001

I wonder if Zack would have felt better if Gehrig had sang to him. Over the weeks, I saw him sporadically at Shinra Headquarters. He was constantly in a funk, still dwelling, after nearly three months now, over Angeal's betrayal.

One night, I cloaked myself and went up to where I expected to find him. His back was turned to me, and he was staring into the window. The pool guy had lost it.

"Angeal," he said to the window, "the war is over. Everyone's real happy. As for me..."

He paused.

I could tell what he was thinking. He was remembering Angeal talking about how his buster sword represented his family honor. He was also remembering how he killed his mother with it.

"Where did you go?" Zack sighed as he put his head down.

A moment later, his phone rang.

"Zack here," he greeted.

"It's been a while, Zack," said the voice on the other end.

"Sephiroth?"

"Come to Lazard's room," Sephiroth ordered.

Zack did as ordered. When he got there, he found Sephiroth leaning against a table, with Lazard sitting at his desk.

"The Company has decided to eliminate Genesis and his cohorts," Lazard announced. He then stood up. "This includes Angeal as well."

I knew this would not fly too well.

"And you want me to do it?!" Zack asked in a somewhat confrontational tone of voice.

"No," Lazard replied as he turned away. "The Shinra army will handle it."

"What about me?" Zack asked.

Lazard turned around.

"They don't trust you," he replied.

"They believe your emotions will hamper your judgement," Sephiroth added.

"Well, of course!" Zack protested.

"That's why I'm going, too," Sephiroth announced.

Zack slowly turned to face Sephiroth.

"To kill them?"

For a few seconds, Sephiroth simply stood there without a response.

Suddenly, red lights began to flash, and an alarm began to sound. Windows began to seal.

I thought it might be an April Fools' Day prank.

"An intruder!" Lazard shouted.

"Where?!" shouted Zack.

"Close!" Lazard replied. "Sephiroth, the president! Zack, enterance!"

"Yeah, you got it!" Zack replied.

He ran into the elevator, but it stopped before it reached the ground level.

Outside the elevator stood a woman in a lab coat. She had a panicked look on her face.

"SOLDIER!" she gasped. "Thank goodness! Please do something about that quickly!"

"That?" Zack asked.

That turned out to be three small red robot walkers with spikes coming from their backs.

"Whoa!" Zack exclaimed. "What is this?"

He quickly destroyed them.

"Thanks," said the woman. "You're a life saver."

"What was that?" Zack asked.

"You've never seen one before," the woman asked. "That was a Shinra Building intruder neutralization mech."

"Intruder neutralization?" Zack asked. "Then why was it attacking Shinra staff?"

"It just suddenly went out of control," the woman replied. "They're stationed in other areas. Can you go check on them?"

"Hmm..." Zack mumbled when he was alone. "The director told me to go to the entrance, but..."

Out of the corner of his eye, Zack spotted a Third Class Soldier laying face-down on the ground. He then rushed to his aid.

"Hey!" Zack called. "Are you all right?"

"Behind you!" the fallen soldier called.

Four more neutralizers we're behind Zack, which he destroyed in one swat.

Meanwhile, the SOLDIER rose to his feet.

"Thank you for saving me," he said.

"Did that mech get you?" Zack asked.

"Pathetic, isn't it?" the SOLDIER replied. "A SOLDIER member getting beaten by something like that?"

"Even SOLDIER members have bad days," Zack assured him.

"This was a good day for me," the SOLDIER said. "To be honest, I'm not really fond of fighting."

"Come on, pull yourself together!" Zack reprimanded. "You're SOLDIER!"

"I apologize, sir," the SOLDIER said. "I'm on my way now."

Zack continued down the hall, past Palmer, who was frantically running through the hall.

Suddenly, his phone rang.

"Zack, where are you now?" demanded Lazard.

"Oh, Director, I'm sorry!" Zack apologized. "I'm on the SOLDIER floor."

"You have to head to the entrance immediately!" Lazard ordered. "We have been massively compromised."

"Massively?" Zack exclaimed. "I'm on my way!"

"I'm counting on you," Lazard said.

Zack took the elevator to the lobby to find two infantrymen fighting two robotic invaders. The lobby was completely trashed.

"Why are Shinra weapons attacking the Shinra building?" Zack exclaimed. "Is Genesis responsible for this?"

He then spotted a Genesis copy with a robot invader, which he easily destroyed.

More enemies then came in through the front.

"Damn, they're everywhere!" Zack shouted.

He dispatched several more intruders before he was joined by somebody in the lobby.

"Sephiroth!" Zack greeted. "The intruders are Genesis copies."

"Hollander must be behind this," Sephiroth suggested.

"Who is that?" Zack asked.

"A Shinra scientist who vanished after lifting the copy technology," Sephiroth answered.

"Are you saying that Hollander and Genesis are working together?" Zack suggested.

"Perhaps," Sephiroth replied as he turned around.

"What is it that they're after?" Zack asked.

"Hollander lost his bid for leadership of the science department," Sephiroth said. "He has borne a grudge against Shinra ever since. Revenge is most likely his objective."

"That's just petty," Zack dismissed. "Are you telling me that Genesis is supporting that idiotic cause?"

"I would prefer not to believe it," Sephiroth replied. "But..."

"Then don't believe it," Zack interrupted.

"Very well," said Sephiroth as he turned around. "I won't. Now, Zack, Genesis copies have been sighted in Sector Eight as well." He began to walk toward the entrance. "Let's go."


	29. Reactor Number Five: The Prequel

Premonitions II: Crisis Core

Chapter 29: Reactor Number Five: The Prequel

By the time Zack and Sephiroth reached Sector Eight, it was crawling with the same mecha that had invaded the Shinra Building. Only now, it was civilians that were in danger.

"Whoa!" shouted Zack. "This is some serious trouble!"

"We should split up," Sephiroth said calmly.

"Understood!" Zack agreed.

As Sephiroth went on his way, Zack ran to the Sector Eight Square.

And you'll never guess who was there: my lovely roomie. If it wouldn't blow my cover, I would've splashed the fountain's water on my face to make sure it was her. She was surrounded by two Genesis copies bearing down on her.

"Hold on!" shouted Zack. "I'm a-comin'!"

He began to dart toward her rescue. Then, suddenly, a baton appeared in front of him, causing him to skid to a stop.

Now, remember when I said that Cissnei was the nicest Turk and that Tseng was a close second? The other two weren't very nice. There was Rude, who was...well named. And the worst of them all was their leader, Reno. He had red hair and disregarded his uniform, not wearing a tie and leaving his shirt unbuttoned. He was the one who stopped Zack.

"Sector Eight is Turks' jurisdiction, slick," Reno announced.

Zack turned to see Rude and Tseng approaching him from behind.

"You gotta be kidding!" Zack protested, still worried about my roomie. "Tseng, do something!"

"There's no need for concern," Rude assured him.

"Huh?" Zack gasped. He then turned to see that Cissnei had killed the Genesis copies with one big-assed shuriken.

"Okay," continued Rude. "The other areas?"

"Midgar's just crawling with nasties," Reno answered.

"SOLDIER is having difficulties," Rude added.

"Reno. Rude," said Tseng.

"Just say the word," Reno invited.

"Go," Tseng commanded.

"Yes, sir," Rude acknowledged.

"So now we're outsourcing to the Turks?" Zack asked as he watched Reno and Rude ascend the nearby staircase.

"SOLDIER's being stingy," replied Cissnei as she approached him.

"There's a manpower shortage-huh?" He had noticed Cissnei's uniform. "You're a Turk, too?"

"I'm Cissnei," she introduced.

"I'm Zack," he greeted. "Pleasure to meet ya!"

"Zack," Tseng interjected, "aren't you on assignment?"

"Same objective," Zack replied. "Need some help here?"

"I appreciate the offer," said Tseng, "but..."

"Oh, how generous!" Cissnei interrupted as she began to walk away. "Well, Tseng, Zack, I gotta go."

She then ran through the arch.

Zack followed her. By the time he finally caught up, he could see her dodging gunfire.

She was jumping backwards, and her shuriken was knocked from her hand. A bullet went by, and Cissnei instinctively grabbed her arm. At first, it looked like she had been shot.

I gasped in horror, and a sick feeling came over me. Yeah, she was annoying as fuck, but I didn't want to see her hurt or killed. I sighed in relief as I realized that the bullet just grazed her suit.

As I drew closer, a familiar face came into view.

It was Genesis. Or at least it looked like him. Zack didn't seem to think so.

"Another copy?" he exclaimed. "Looks like this one's a cut above the masked guys!"

Zack took his sword and knocked the gun out of the assailant's hand. He then swung the sword again, lightly scratching his chest and causing him to double on the ground.

Then the damndest thing happened. A single black wing appeared from the copy's side. He attempted to fly away before Zack swung his sword more closely from behind, killing him.

Just then, Cissnei approached the body, knelt down, and inspected it.

"When I was a kid, I always wanted to have wings," she said. She then made eye contact with Zack. "You know, like an angel."

She stood up. The way they interacted, you'd think they would end up liking each other (spoiler alert: they don't. You're never going to believe who Zack ends up dating).

Zack turned away.

"If people had wings, they'd be monsters," he said.

"Wings symbolize freedom for those who have none," Cissnei suggested as she looked down on the feathers that the Genesis copy had left behind. She then looked up. "They don't symbolize monsters."

Zack sighed.

"SOLDIER First Class indeed," Cissnei continued. "A very impressive show of force."

"Unlike the Turks, we folks at SOLDIER are paid to fight," Zack said.

"Take this," Cissnei commanded as she approached him. "A token of appreciation for helping me out back there." She handed him something, but I couldn't see what it was. "Well, I'm off to my next job. Didn't you have another assignment, too?"

"Assignment," Zack reminded himself. "Yeah, I do."

"I'm sure we'll see each other again," Cissnei said before turning and running off.

Alone once again, Zack stood for a moment before his cell began to ring. He answered it without even having to greet the caller.

"Once Sector Eight is clear, come to Mako Reactor Five," Sephiroth began immediately.

"Did you find something out?" Zack asked.

"Angeal has been sighted," Sephiroth replied.

"So it's search and destroy?" Zack asked.

"The army is mobilizing," Sephiroth answered, "But there's still time. You will and I will find them before they do, and..."

"And what?!" Zack interrupted in an angry tone of voice.

Zack was lucky he did that over the phone. If he knew what Sephiroth was capable of, I think he would have thought differently.

But, anyways, Sephiroth kept his cool.

"Fail to eliminate them," he finished.

"For real?" Zack asked hopefully.

"Yes, for real," Sephiroth confirmed.

Zack got the hugest grin I'd ever seen him get.

"Excellent!" he shouted. "Probably."

LATER...

By the time Zack reached Reactor Number Five, it was crawling with nasties. He didn't even get more than a yard into the reactor before he got attacked by some odd creature that looked a mix of reptilian and avian. He quickly killed it, but that was only the beginning of his troubles with the creature. It got worse when he bent down and examined it.

"Is that Angeal's face?" Zack said aloud.

"It appears Genesis isn't the only one who can be copied," replied Sephiroth as he approached.

Zack took another look at the dead creature. His eyes weren't lying.

"The company training room," Sephiroth continued. "We used to sneak in there for fun, when the Seconds were out. Genesis, Angeal, and I."

"You guys were pretty tight," Zack observed.

Sephiroth grunted.

"I wonder..."

FLASHBACK...

"Infinite in mystery is the gift of the goddess," Genesis read from a book. "We seek it thus, and take it to the sky. Ripples on the water's surface. The wandering soul knows no rest." He then looked up.

They were in Junon, with Sephiroth starting out to sea. He then turned to face his companions.

"_Loveless_, Act I," he said.

"You remembered," congratulated Genesis.

"How can I not?" said Sephiroth. "When you've beaten it into my head?"

Angeal got up and drew his sword.

"Don't take Sephiroth lightly," he warned.

"Noted," Genesis said.

The two charged Sephiroth and engaged in friendly combat. Soon, Angeal and Sephiroth has their swords locked.

"Is that the best you can do?" Sephiroth taunted playfully before knocking Angeal backward several yards.

"All hail Sephiroth, eh?" Angeal replied.

Suddenly, Genesis raised his arm.

"Angeal, stay back!" he warned. "I'll take Sephiroth alone."

"Genesis," began Angeal, but it fell on deaf ears.

"The world needs a new hero," Genesis announced.

"Come and try," Sephiroth taunted.

"So smug," said Genesis. "But for how long?"

Genesis charged Sephiroth, resulting in what seemed to be more friendly combat at first. But then, Genesis starting casting fire on Sephiroth, which he deflected with his sword.

"Stop!" ordered Angeal as he stood between the two. "You'll destroy us all!"

In response, Genesis put his hand in Angeal's face.

"That's no way to talk to a hero!" he snapped.

With that, he pushed Angeal away.

Genesis and Sephiroth resumed the fight, nearly destroying the cannon in the process.

"Enough!" shouted Angeal as he broke up the fight again.

"Angeal," grunted Sephiroth.

"Out of my way!" demanded Genesis as he prepared to cast a spell.

Angeal, seeing that he had no choice, slashed his sword across Genesis' left arm.

Genesis staggered back, grabbing his wound.

Angeal quickly ended the simulation; they had actually been on the SOLDIER floor the whole time.

But the wound was real.

"Genesis!" shouted Angeal.

"Just a scrape," Genesis assured him as he rose to his feet. "I'll be fine. Don't worry." He then began to walk out of the training room, but now before quoting another line from _Loveless_.

"Even if the morrow is barren of promises, nothing shall forestall my return."

...END FLASHBACK

"So, was everything alright?" Zack asked.

"Yes," replied Sephiroth. "As far as Genesis was concerned. But as for Angeal..."

"Angeal?" Zack exclaimed. "What happened?"

"Later, I received one of his famous lectures," Sephiroth answered.

"About what?" Zack inquired.

"Always the same," Sephiroth responded. "Discipline, dreams, honor, etc."

"Ah," sighed Zack in empathy. "One of those, huh?"

Sephiroth then turned his attention to the fallen creature.

"So it's true," he said. "They're in league with Hollander."

"How could this happen?" Zack asked. "Angeal...what is it you're up to? I have to look for clues."

Sephiroth gave a sympathetic look.

"Hollander's secret laboratory is down this way, apparently," he said. "Perhaps we can find some information about Angeal's whereabouts there."

"All right," agreed Zack. "Let's go."

Zack and Sephiroth made their way deeper into the reactor. Zack came across a wheel that powered up and unlocked one of the doors.

"The power has been restored," Sephiroth announced. "Let's go."

Beyond the door, the green tint was gone. There was scientific equipment used for stuff I probably didn't want to know about.

Sephiroth descended a small flight of stairs and inspected an upright tank.

"A wretched sight," he muttered.

Zack, meanwhile, directed his attention to a piece of paper left on a piece of equipment. It read: "It is now an undesired fact that the life form excavated from the earth is indeed of the ancient race spoken of in legend. Furthermore, history records that these "Ancients" channeled the power of the planet to tear the earth asunder. Using the cells of the unearthed Ancient, we have begun research on creating and mass-producing a race with comparable abilities. The primary objective of this research is to significantly reduce mako excavation costs."

Zack then made his way over to another console, where another piece of paper lay. This one read: "The heightened abilities of SOLDIER members are maintained by a delicate balance of genetic factors. A change in this balance could only be caused by a 'leak' of genetic information, but this is not possible under normal circumstances. The phenomenon is unique to the SOLDIER Type G."

Zack pressed his hand against his head.

"I'm feeling woozy," he groaned.

"It was before Genesis deserted," announced Sephiroth as he approached him. "The wound was superficial, but, for some reason, Genesis wasn't healing. The man who treated him was Hollander."

FLASHBACK...

Sephiroth and Angeal approached a short, bearded man in a yellow shirt and lab coat.

"Professor Hollander," Angeal began. "How is Genesis?"

"The problem is the mako energy that seeped through the wound," Hollander replied.

"Is it treatable?" Angeal asked.

"First, he'll need a transfusion," Hollander informed them.

Sephiroth began to approach Hollander, but Angeal stopped him.

"You aren't viable," Hollander said.

...END FLASHBACK

"Why couldn't I be the donor?" Sephiroth said aloud. He then turned to the tank. "A SOLDIER Type G..."

Zack, meanwhile, out of the corner of his eye, saw another piece of paper on the table. This one had a heading: "Project G-Summary: Objective: Implant the cells of an Ancient into a human fetus to imbue said fetus with the Ancient's abilities."

Zack sighed.

"It was Hollander's experiment," Sephiroth said. "The result was a normal child, which meant he failed. However, Project G gave birth to the man we know as Genesis."

"Project G?" Zack asked.

"Project Genesis," Sephiroth clarified. "Contrary to this report, Genesis showed clear signs of change."

"Degrading?" Zack inquired.

"Not only that," replied Sephiroth. "Copies. Abominations."

Suddenly, the sound of footsteps descending metal stairs began.

Zack and Sephiroth turned to see Hollander himself.

"Sephiroth?" he greeted.

"Hollander," Sephiroth replied. "I thought I would find you here."

"The degradation process," Hollander continued. "Only I can stop it."

And then, at that moment, the real Genesis descended from the ceiling, sword in hand.

"Genesis," Sephiroth greeted.

Genesis immediately aimed his sword at Sephiroth's throat.

"You won't take Hollander," he warned.

Sephiroth turned his head.

"Zack!" he ordered. "Go after Hollander."

Zack darted for Hollander, chasing him up the flight of stairs.

Genesis, meanwhile, kept Sephiroth prisoner.

"There is no hate, only joy," he quoted from _Loveless_ as he lowered his sword. "For you are beloved by the goddess. Hero of the dawn, healer of worlds."

"_Loveless_ again?" sighed Sephiroth. "You never change."

"Three friends go into battle," Genesis continued. "One is captured. One flies away. The one that is left becomes a hero."

"A common story," Sephiroth dismissed."

"If we were to enact it," Genesis said, "would I be the one to play the hero, or would you?"

"It's all yours," Sephiroth said as he pointed to him.

"Indeed," agreed Genesis. "After all, your glory should have been mine."

"How petty," Sephiroth groaned.

"In hindsight, perhaps," suggested Genesis. "Now, what I want most is the 'gift of the goddess.'"

MEANWHILE...

Zack remained in pursuit of Hollander. He managed to chase him through the reactor, fighting strange nasties and Genesis copies as he did so.

"He won't get away," Zack said to himself. "Not before he tells me where Angeal is!"

Eventually, as he chased him deeper into the reactor, the green tint was gone, and the facility seemed more like any other factory.

He finally caught up to the madman in a room with large windows.

Hollander was so exhausted from the chase that he collapsed, leaving himself at his pursuer's mercy.

"Hollander," Zack demanded, "do you understand what you are doing?"

Hollander rose to his feet and began to back away.

As Zack tried to pursue him again, a large, familiar sword presented itself.

"Working for Hollander now?" Zack snapped. "What is it you're after?"

"World domination," replied a familiar voice.

"That's not even funny, man!" Zack reprimanded.

"How about revenge?" Angeal's voice suggested.

"For what?" Zack demanded.

Angeal then walked toward the window, making himself visuals to his former friend.

"Angeal!" Zack called.

And then, Angeal spread a single wing. Unlike Genesis, this one was white, and on his right side.

"I've become a monster," he said as he turned around. "A monster's objective is usually world domination or revenge."

"You're wrong!" Zack dismissed as he began walking towards him. "Those aren't the wings of a monster!"

"Well, then," replied Angeal, "what are they?"

"Angel's wings," replied Zack as he grabbed a stray feather.

"I see," said Angeal. "Then what should an Angel fight for, Zack? What do angel dream of?"

Zack stood silently.

Suddenly, Angeal jammed his sword into the floor, and began to advance on Zack.

The target carefully backed away.

"Angeal," he pleaded.

"Angels dream of one thing," Angeal stayed as he continued his advance.

"Please, tell me," Zack begged as he continued to back away.

"To be human," the pursuer replied.

And then, Angeal came to a stop. He waited for just a moment before charging Zack, driving his palm into his chest.

Zack fell to the ground and slid several yards backward. He then got up.

"Defend yourself!" Angeal demanded.

Zack shook his head.

Angrily, Angeal cast some sort of a spell. It left a shockwave on the ground, advancing on Zack at lightning speed.

But it didn't hit him.

Instead, it caused the metal grating he was standing on to collapse under him. With the blink of an eye, Zack disappeared into the void below.

LATER...

I entered the apartment to find Cissnei sitting on the couch in a tee shirt and jeans. Her arms were folded, and her head was down. She was clearly not in a good state.

"You okay?" I asked.

"Rough day," she replied.

"Want to talk about it?" I offered.

I couldn't believe I asked that. She really bugged me, but...somehow...it pained me to see her like that.

She shook her head.

I did my part, so I walked toward my bedroom door.

"If I tell you something," Cissnei began as I was turning the knob, "can you promise never to tell anyone?"

"Sure," I said.

"I believe you," she continued, "so I'll tell you. I really hate my job."

"Being a Turk?" I asked.

Cissnei nodded.

"I almost got killed tonight," she said.

I walked back over to the couch and sat down next to her.

"Are you okay?" I asked, pretending that I hadn't been there.

"Physically," she sighed. "But I hate this job."

"Have you asked for a transfer?" I suggested.

Cissnei shook her head.

"I can't do that," she replied. "Once a Turk, always a Turk. They can't demote me to SOLDIER. They can't promote me to executive, either."

"Would you quit?" I suggested.

"No," she dismissed. "I know I could find another job somewhere, but..."

"But?"

"It's kind of hard to explain," she said.

It was a side of Cissnei I hadn't seen before. She hated her job, but wouldn't quit. I thought that was the stupidest thing ever. When I found out the real reason why, I regretted thinking that.

As for Zack, I can assure you he survived the fall. He had a new adventure once he recovered.

When you read the scene that unfolds next, be forewarned: I wasn't there.

But somebody else was.


	30. The Fateful Meeting

Premonitions II: Chapter 30: The Fateful Meeting

April 2, 0001

Zack was barely conscious. As his eyes were closed, he could see nothing; just black. He felt an ache in his back, yet a softness behind him; something had broken his fall.

And then, he heard his mother's voice.

"Tell me what happened," Mrs. Fair commanded.

"Mom?" Zack called into the oblivion. "I want to help out a friend. But, I don't know how I can do it."

I felt sorry for him; Angeal was a lost cause and he still wouldn't accept it.

"Hell-llooo!" called a female voice.

"Mom?" Zack responded. He was puzzled; that wasn't his mother's voice. He didn't recognize it.

But I would have.

Reality quickly returned.

Zack found himself laying on the ground in what looked like a cathedral. Flowers were all around his body.

And guess who was standing over him?

"Hell-llooo?" Aerith repeated.

Zack's eyes fluttered wide open, revealing that he was alive.

"Hooray!" Aerith exclaimed as she stood up and smiled.

As soon as Zack saw Aerith, he was stunned by how beautiful she was. He observed her emerald eyes, her long hair, and her perfect teeth. For a moment, he actually thought he had died.

"Heaven?" he asked.

"Not quite," she replied. "Church in the slums."

He then sat up and took a longer look at her. To him, she seemed so soft and...comforting.

"An angel?" he asked.

"No," she giggled in flattery as she shook her head. "I'm Aerith!" She then turned her back to him and pointed to the ceiling. "You fell from the sky. Scared me." She then faced him again, smiling.

"So you saved me, huh?" Zack observed.

"Not really," Aerith dismissed as she put her hand to her mouth. "'Hell-llooo!' That's all I did."

Zack laughed, and did a somersault to get to his feet. He liked her right away, and wanted to impress her.

Aerith laughed happily.

"Thank you so much, Aerith," he said as he folded his arms. "I'm Zack. I have to repay you somehow."

"Don't worry about it," Aerith said with a smirk. It was obvious what she was really thinking: _Please ask me out. Please ask me out!_

"No, no," Zack insisted. "Hey, how about one date?"

"What is that?" asked Aerith. "Don't be silly!"

Zack sighed.

Aerith smiled again. She had a crush on him the moment she saw him, but still wanted to play hard to get. Gehrig had to have taught her that.

Zack, meanwhile, failed to watch his footing.

"Stop!" Aerith exclaimed. "Don't step on the flowers!"

"Excuse me?"asked Zack as he put his foot on the hardwood.

"Normally, people are more careful with flowers," she reprimanded.

"Well, I guess I'm not normal," he said. He then took another look at the flowers. "You don't see a lot of flowers in Midgar. They're like luxury items around here."

"They only grow here," she explained. "Although I planted some outside my house, too."

Zack took another look at the flowers; this girl seemed to make everything positive.

"If I were you, I'd sell them," he suggested. "Midgar's full of flowers, your wallet's full of money!"

"Midgar, full of flowers," Aerith repeated. "Wallet full of money... I never thought of it that way."

He certainly liked her, but he also realized that he was on the job. He needed to get back to the Shinra Building.

"So do I have to go through the roof again?" he then asked. "Or is there another way out?"

"The exit?" she replied. "That door over there. Going already?"

"Yeah, I should get going," he said. "All right. Thanks again, Aerith."

"Yeah," she said.

Zack began to walk toward the door, but when he reached it, he turned around for another look at Aerith. He was just as smitten with her as she was with him. He couldn't control himself.

"So, are you always here?" he asked.

"Yeah," Aerith replied as she put her hands behind her back. "Hey, so where are you going?"

"I'm not really sure," he answered. He knew there were a lot of people in the slums who weren't exactly fans of the Shinra.

Aerith smiled and went up to him. "I'll take you there, okay?" she offered.

"Where?

"Hmm, I'm not really sure," she echoed as she closed her eyes sheepishly.

Zack immediately figured out her intentions.

"You just want to spend more time with me, right?" he deduced.

"Yeah," she replied as she opened her eyes and gave a flirty smile.

Aerith took Zack outside the church, and he scanned his surroundings.

"This must be under the plate," Zack observed. "Sector Five. This is the slums."

"Yeah," Aerith confirmed. "If you walk a little, you'll be in the central slums. There's lots of people, and you can go above the plate from there, too. So I'll walk you over there."

"If I can get out onto the streets, I guess I can figure things out from there," he said. "Okay, lead the way."

"Okay," she agreed. "I'll show you the way to the central slums."

Aerith led Zack down the church stairs, and scanned the ground nearby.

"I'd like to plant flowers here, too," she said. "If there were flowers lining the streets, it would be sooo beautiful."

It was a beautiful moment, and then it got interrupted. Two hedgehog pies, rather bothersome creatures known to lurk in the slums, approached them.

"Monsters!" Aerith exclaimed.

"Ah, here we go," Zack said calmly.

"Zack, let's run!" she pleaded.

"Don't sweat it!" he assured her as he drew his sword. "I'll protect you. I'll handle it."

"You can?" she asked.

"Just stand back, so you don't get hurt," he commanded.

Zack immediately took care of the creatures with one swipe.

Aerith immediately placed both of her hands to where her heart was. Nobody had ever defended her like that.

"I feel so safe with you, Zack," she said with a smile.

"Is that right?" he asked.

"Yeah," she said as her smile widened. "You can beat up monsters." She then walked over to him and gently squeezed his bicep. "You're so strong."

"Strong, huh," Zack said as he began to blush.

"Is something wrong?" she asked with a smile.

"No," he dismissed. "It's nothing. Anyway, those things weren't tough at all! So, did I look cool? A little?"

"Hmm," she playfully replied with her index finger to her mouth.

"Hmm?"

"Beats me," she giggled.

"Aerith," he said, "in these types of situations, you should be more..."

"Hey, Zack," she interrupted with a smile. "Let's go, okay?"

"Uh, hell-lloo?" he weakly asked.

"Come on, let's keep moving," Aerith commanded. "We have to get to the central slums before more monsters show up. But I guess if you're with me, there's nothing to worry about, right?"

As she led him through the slums, they suddenly became more populated, with people going about their daily lives.

"People from the slums can be categorized into two groups," Aerith explained. "Those who hate Shinra, and those who idolize Shinra."

"And which are you?" Zack asked.

"T. U. L.," she replied.

Eventually, they reached a gate. It looked like it was dividing sectors, they same ways as on the surface.

"So the central slums are this way?" Zack asked.

"Yeah," Aerith replied.

Zack was silent.

"What is it?" she asked.

"I guess the slums are built just like any other city," he observed.

"Of course," Aerith agreed. "Many people have lived here for a long time. Inside the gate there, there's a marketplace. It's fun because there are so many stores. You can go above the plate from there, too."

Zack was silent. He had never thought of the slums as their own little community.

"Do the slums seem strange to you?" she asked. "I grew up here."

"It's kinda stuffy down here," he replied.

"Really?" asked Aerith. "It's always like this, though."

"I know what it is!" Zack realized as he looked upward. "You can't see the sky."

Aerith gave him a weak smile.

"Who wants to see the sky?" she replied. "I don't, that's for sure."

"Wouldn't you normally miss seeing the sky if you lived under a plate all year round?" he asked.

"I guess I'm not normal," Aerith said as she put her head down.

Zack suddenly felt bad inside. It was because she was feeling down. It made him realize just how much he liked this girl.

"You want to talk about it?" he offered.

She looked up, and made eye contact.

"The sky frightens me," she began. "I feel like it's sucking me in. Weird, huh?"

Zack shook his head.

"Listen," Aerith said sadly, "I know you're about to go running." She closed her eyes again. She wanted to cry.

And then, she heard him approach her. Moments later, she felt him holding her hand. Her heart skipped a beat.

"Normal is overrated," Zack assured her.

"Think so?" she asked.

"I have an idea!" he suggested. "One day, I'll take you to see a beautiful sky, the real sky. It's not frightening at all. I know you're gonna love it."

"Maybe I will," she said as she opened her eyes and smiled.

Zack and Aerith walked through the gate, still holding hands.

Aerith was on cloud nine. She had never held hands with a guy before, and the feeling gave her goosebumps.

Eventually, they got to the market.

"Looks like an interesting place," Zack observed.

"Maybe we should take a look around?" Aerith suggested as she scanned the area.

"Whoa!" cried a high voice suddenly. "Watch out!"

Moments later, a nine-year-old boy ran into Zack.

"Oh, sorry," Zack apologized as he grabbed the spot the boy had ran into.

"Be more careful!" the little shit reprimanded before darting off.

Aerith immediately got a concerned look.

"Hey, Zack?" she began. "You didn't just lose something, did you? Like any of your belongings?"

"Did I lose something?" he echoed as he checked his pockets. "I don't think...". And Then, he learned the awful truth. "Aaagh! My wallet!"

"It's gone?" she asked.

"Was it that kid?" Zack asked rhetorically as he put his face in his hand. "I'm gonna hunt him down!"

"Zack, wait," Aerith objected. "I'm sorry, but I know that boy."

"You know him?"

"There has to be some reason," she continued. "He would usually never do something like this."

"Whatever the reason, stealing is wrong," Zack insisted. "I'm gonna find him, and..."

"Let's ask him why he did it," Aerith interrupted. "I'll bring him here."

Before Zack could say anything, she turned and ran off.

"Hey, Aerith!" Zack called, but it was too late; she had disappeared around the corner.

"She's gone," he sighed. "I'll have to look for him, too! There's a lot of people here. I guess I'll ask around."

He did just that. Eventually, Zack did spot the son of a bitch.

"There!" he announced. "I got you now!"

The thief began to run again. Unfortunately for him, Aerith had reappeared, and was blocking his escape.

"Aerith!" Zack called. "He's running towards you!"

Aerith put her hands on her hips and gave the boy a stern look.

"Hey, you," she commanded. "No more running."

"We got him!" Zack exclaimed victoriously. "You sneaky little runt! Stealing from people is a-"

"Zack," Aerith reprimanded.

"A very, very bad thing!" he corrected himself. The last thing he wanted to do was make an ass of himself in front of her. "So tell me, why did you do it?"

"It's none of your business," the boy snapped as he turned away.

"When you stole my wallet, you made it my business!" Zack retorted.

"You promised me a long time ago that you would never steal again," Aerith added. "Are you in some kind of trouble?"

The thief was silent.

"If you're in trouble, just say so," Zack commanded. "Now you've got Aerith all worried."

"My own wallet was eaten by a monster," the turd answered. "But I have to buy medicine, and get home quickly."

"Medicine?" Zack asked. He looked at Aerith; he knew what she would want him to do. "I'll get your wallet back from the monster."

Aerith's eyes widened in concern.

"But it's dangerous," she objected.

"No worries!" Zack assured her. "Monsters in this area are no match for me! Besides, if I don't do this, he's gonna have to steal again, right?"

"Then I'll help, too," she offered.

"No, it's okay, Aerith, really," he insisted. "I'll take care of it. You can stay here and keep that kid out of trouble."

The little shithead groaned.

"The monster should still be on the street that goes to the park," he said. You need to prepare a little before going, right?" He then reaches out his hand. "It's not much, but here's your wallet back."

"It's not much?!" Zack exclaimed. "You're not making it easy for me to forgive you!"

Zack then ran off.

The boy immediately turned to Aerith.

"You have a crush on him," he said.

Aerith shook her head, but produced a guilty smile.

"It's okay," the boy continued. "I can tell."

She smiled out of embarrassment, and began to blush.

"He likes you, too, you know," the boy continued.

"You think so?" she asked.

"He has to," the boy confirmed. "The way he listens to you like that."

Zack returned with the wallet a few minutes later, as promised.

"You really got it back!" the kid exclaimed.

Zack forced a smile as he handed the wallet back.

"Eww!" the boy exclaimed. "It's all slimy!"

Mind you, it had be down the gullet of a creature.

"Quit complaining!" Zack retorted. "You should be glad just to have it back!"

Aerith gave Zack a concerned look.

"Zack, were you hurt?" she asked.

"Not a scratch!" he assured her. "No problem whatsoever! Now, to deal with this brat. Get ready for the longest lecture of your life!"

Aerith placed a hand on her hip and gave Zack a look.

"Is what I'd like to say," Zack quickly corrected himself, "but you can go. You're in a hurry, right?"

"Thanks, mister," the boy said.

"Next time you're in trouble," Zack continued, "don't steal! Come talk to me first."

"I appreciate the offer," said the boy, "but I think I'll pass. I thought you looked pretty rich, but your wallet told me another story."

"Don't mock me, junior!" Zack warned. "I'm gonna be a wealthy man soon. Aerith and I are gonna sell flowers!"

Aerith gasped in surprise.

"We call it Operation: Midgar Full of Flowers, Wallet Full of Money!" he continued.

"That's right!" she giggled. "Midgar full of flowers, wallet full of money!"

"Aerith, are you seriously doing this?" the kid asked skeptically.

"Yes," Aerith replied. "I'm gonna try, anyway. So, no stealing! Come talk to me if you're in trouble, okay?"

"All right," the thief agreed. "I'll come talk to you. Well, I really do have to hurry. Thanks, Aerith, mister. You should be more careful on the street, unless you want your wallet taken again!"

"Obnoxious little brat!" Zack responded. "Get lost already!"

"Okay, boomer!" the boy shouted as he ran off. He was out of sight within moments.

"Thanks for helping that boy, Zack," Aerith said with a smile.

"Oh, it was nothing," Zack assured her.

"Hey, Zack?" she began. "Were you really serious about selling the flowers?"

"Of course!" he replied. "How can I turn back now, after all I said? I have an idea! Let's make a wagon!"

"A wagon?" Aerith asked.

"Yeah!" Zack exclaimed enthusiastically. "A flower wagon! If we have a wagon to put the flowers in, we can cart them all around Midgar selling them."

"Oh yeah, that's true," she agreed. "That is a good idea!"

Zack and Aerith resumed their hand-holding, and soon came across a vendor called Shopping Paradise.

"Welcome to the item shop!" greeted the clerk. "On sale for a limited time only! A most exquisitely fragrant perfume!" He then turned to Aerith. "An ideal gift for that special lady friend! How about it, mister? Three hundred gil each!"

"I guess I could buy one," Zack agreed.

"This perfume is a limited-time offer. It's first-come, first-serve, so act quickly!"

Zack rolled his eyes.

"Here's a proposition for you!" suggested the clerk. "Normally, the price is three hundred gil even, but if you were to blend in some of this valuable rose oil, this cheap perfume can become quite luxurious! Would you like to try blending?

"Yeah, let's try!" Zack agreed.

Zack carefully mixed the oils. When he finished, he handed the perfume to his companion, hoping for the best.

"Aerith, this is for you," he said. "I hope you like it."

"Oh, thank you!" she happily said. "I wonder what kind of scent it is!" She sprayed it on herself, and was almost immediately mesmerized by the aroma. "Wow! It just smells so nice! Thank you so much, Zack. You're really amazing! I'll cherish it."

"All right!" replied Zack. "Does this mean you really like it?"

"Yeah," she answered. "It's almost a shame to use it. I'll be so sad when it's all gone. Can I just keep it without using any?"

"Y-yeah?" said Zack. "Well, I hope you enjoy it!"

The two of them giggled in unison.

A few vendors down was the accessory shop.

"Oh, hi Aerith," the clerk greeted. "Is that your boyfriend?"

"Hmm," she replied as she took a glance at Zack. "I'm not sure yet."

The clerk scanned him himself.

"Hey, aren't you...you are!" He exclaimed. "The guy who was chasing that kid around! I heard about you from the neighborhood folks. I thought you were just some dumb outsider, but it turns out you're a pretty good guy! I'm sorry we misjudged you. This is just a small token of our appreciation." He handed Zack a blade sharpener. "I have to say though, Aerith," he continued. "You're not gonna find a decent, honest, kindhearted guy like this very often. This one has my stamp of approval. I hope you're very happy together!"

"Maybe I'll just say he is," Aerith giggled as she put her hand on Zack's shoulder. "There's something really special about him. I've never met anyone like him before. It feels really fun, just being around him." She then turned to Zack. "Oh, wait, can I take a look inside this store?"

"So, what?" he replied. "The whole reason you wanted to go out was to shop?"

"Then I won't," she responded sincerely.

"I'm just kidding!" Zack assured her. "Go look as long as you like."

"Thanks," she said. "Just for a little bit. I promise."

That little bit turned out to be half an hour. Of course, Zack found it annoying, but he accepted it as the nature of the beast.

"You really like this store, huh?" he observed.

"Yeah," Aerith giggled. "It's fun just looking around."

Then, Zack got an idea.

"Hey, Aerith," he began.

"Mm-hmm?" she asked.

"To show my gratitude for the 'hell-lloo' that woke me up," he said, "I'll buy you something."

"Oh, you don't have to," she insisted. "You're repaying me with one date, right?"

"You said, 'Don't be silly!'"

"Well..."

"Then consider it a one-day anniversary gift of our friendship," he suggested.

"Are you sure?" she asked.

"Positive," he insisted.

Aerith look a long look at the hair bows on one shelf.

"Ok," she said after a few moments. "This one."

She had selected a pink one.

"All right, I'll go buy it," Zack agreed. "I'll be right back."

Zack went and bought it.

"Turn around," he then commanded.

Aerith turned around, and felt his hands rustling in her hair. This sensation was most certainly welcome as well, and goosebumps began to appear on her back and shoulders.

"How's that?" he asked.

"Did you put it on right?" she asked. "Will it stay on?"

"It should be fine," Zack assured her. "Yeah, it looks great!"

"Thank you, Zack!" she said with a smile as she put her hand on his shoulder. "I'll always wear it from now on." She then gave him a long, hopeful look. "Hey, do you still have some time?"

"I guess so," he replied. "Why?"

"Why don't we go to the park?" Aerith suggested.

"Whoa, that kinda sounds like a date!" he observed with a grin.

"Uh-huh!" She replied, also with a grin.

"Okay, let's go!" he agreed enthusiastically.

Aerith then led him to the park. On the way there, Zack placed his hand on the small of her back. It sent chills up her spine, as it was another welcome sensation. She had trouble believing this was happening.

Eventually, they got to the park. It wasn't really a park, by the way, but more of a playground. There was a swing set there, as well as a slide in the shape of a cat.

"I used to come here all the time when I was a little girl," Aerith began. "My favorite was the cat slide."

"You like cats?" Zack asked.

"No," she replied as she shook her head. "I'm a dog person. Dogs are children with hair all over. Cats are just a lump of fur that take up space."

She then climbed onto the cat and signaled for Zack to do the same.

"I would always climb up here," Aerith continued. "And I would always shout "Hel-looo! This is the voice of the goddess!' My mom would always scream me stupid!"

Zack laughed.

"I used to hide in the coats when I was a kid."

"I did that, too," Aerith giggled. "So, ever meet any SOLDIER members?"

Zack slightly tended up. He wasn't sure of how Aerith felt about the Shinra.

"Maybe," he replied. It wasn't exactly a lie.

"Do you think that they're happy?" she asked.

"What do you mean?"

"Heroes to children, protectors of the peace," she clarified. "But, they're not normal. They get some kind of special surgery, don't they?"

"So they say," he said.

"Normal is best," she continued. "I think so, at least. Those SOLDIER people are kind of weird."

"They're...weird, huh?" Zack echoed.

"And they're scary," she added. "They fight, and they love it."

"Actually, I'm with SOLDIER," he said.

Aerith immediately gasped.

"I'm sorry," she immediately apologized.

But the damage was done. Zack looked away.

_Now I've done it_, Aerith thought to herself. She wanted to get up, run off, find a private place, and cry long and hard. She had just blown a wonderful opportunity.

And then, Zack turned to look at her again.

"It's okay," he assured her. "You didn't know."

"I still feel terrible," she said softly.

"It's okay," he insisted. "I can't speak for everyone at SOLDIER, but I wouldn't say I love to fight. I just prefer to keep people safe." He paused. "Especially beautiful girls like you."

Aerith smiled. He really knew how to make her feel better.

"So pretty," She said as she gazed at him.

"The face?" he asked.

"The eyes!" she clarified.

"You like them?" he asked. "Then take a closer look. Eyes infused with mako energy. A SOLDIER trademark."

"Oh, you!" she giggled as she playfully shoved him.

"Color of the sky, right?" Zack laughed.

Aerith nodded.

"But not scary at all!"

He then gave a serious look.

"I'll admit it, things haven't been normal at all lately," he said. "What about you, Aerith? How's your life going?"

"I was thinking it would be a normal day," she giggled, "but then suddenly some guy fell out of the sky."

"That's not all that bad," Zack said.

Suddenly, Zack's cell phone began to ring. He was well aware that it would be rude to answer it on a date, but he was also aware of the only person who would be calling him now.

So he answered it.

"Zack, return to the Shinra Building now," Sephiroth commanded. "Genesis has attacked us."

"On my way," Zack complied. He then turned to Aerith and gave her a sheepish look. "I'm sorry, but duty calls."

"Well, I guess I should get going then," she said. She then gave him a hopeful look. "Will I see you again?"

"Of course!" he assured her.

"I hope that your friend's ok, Zack," she mentioned.

"Huh?"

"You talk in your sleep," she clarified.

"Yeah, it'll be fine," he said, half-confidently. "I know that now."

"Hey," she said as she made eye contact with him. She then wrapped her arms around his shoulders; she couldn't leave without at least hugging him good-bye.

"I really like you," she said. "Can we do a second date?"

"Absolutely!" he replied. "Where do you want to go?"

"How about the aquarium?" she suggested. "I haven't been there in years."

"Sounds good!" he said.

A moment later, Zack was gone from view.

Aerith's palm was still sweaty, but her heart was happy. It was true; she had been expecting another boring day.

She quickly pulled her phone out and dialed.

"Aerie!" Gehrig greeted.

"I met a guy!" Aerith squealed.

"When?" Gehrig asked.

"Just now!" Aerith replied. "He came crashing through the church ceiling!"

"Did he die?" Gehrig playfully asked.

"Far from it!" Aerith giggled. "He took me on a date. It was incredible!"

"Did you kiss?" Gehrig asked.

"Not yet," Aerith replied. "But we did hold hands!"

"Is he still with you?" Gehrig asked.

"He had to go back to work. I just hope he doesn't run into any monsters along the way," Aerith said.

"Or, worse, Mary Ellen," Gehrig added.

Aerith began to laugh.

"Get your butt over here!" Gehrig demanded. "I want to hear everything!"

"Okay," Aerith agreed. "I'm on my way."


	31. Another Invasion

Premonitions II: Crisis Core

Chapter 31: Another Invasion

Just for a Recap...

_Premonitions II_ is set in the alternate timeline caused by Bestla in the original _Premonitions_. The sequel picks up several hours after the original _Premonitions_ ends. Tifa, against everyone's advice, goes to see the Continental Governor, both to clear names and to find her father, whom she strongly suspects is still alive. Unknown to her, a man named Victor Karnak, who bears an odd resemblance to Cloud, overhears the interrogation.

Tifa is also tasked with planning her long-awaited wedding to Cloud that Saturday. She befriends Elena, who no longer has any differences with her. Vincent, meanwhile, grows despondent of Lucrecia, and determines to restore her in the new timeline.

Karnak soon begins making attempts on Tifa's life. Despite this, Tifa, after visiting the Nibel Reactor, the former Shinra Building (now home to various start-up companies), and a deadly fun house, determines that her father was taken to the Island Gulag. The downside is that she has no idea where it is.

Remembering that her cousin, Tobin, said something about the Island Gulag, Tifa pays a visit to his roommate and best friend, Alicia Reynolds, a.k.a. Cissnei. Cissnei informs her that Tobin has disappeared, having gone to the Island Gulag himself, but left a journal in the Gongaga Reactor ruins that would reveal the Gulag's location.

After lying to Cloud and telling him she is giving up the search, Tifa knocks him out and goes to the Gongaga Reactor. There, she finds the journal, but is confronted by Karnak, who had previously warned her to drop the search. He has a strongwoman beat her, leaving her mortally wounded with every bone in her body broken. Tifa is left bleeding, broken, and dying as a mysterious shuttle takes her away.

THE JOURNAL

Years before the start of _Final Fantasy VII_, Tifa's cousin, Tobin, spies on Zack Fair, using a cloaking bracelet, in the simulator at Shinra Headquarters. Soon, Zack and his mentor, Angeal Hewley, was sent to Wutai to support the war there. Although they succeed in taking Fort Tamblin, Angeal disappears.

Meanwhile, Tobin wakes up to find his cloaking bracelet stolen. After hard interrogation, Yuffie, who stole the bracelet, reveals it is in a temple where sentries lure people in and kill them. They allow him into the temple, not realizing that he will use it to escape.

A short time later, Zack is sent to Banora to investigate the disappearance of yet another SOLDIER member, Genesis Rhapsodos. It is discovered that Genesis is somehow cloning himself. Angeal reappears, only, to Zack's shock, to kill his own mother. Banora is destroyed to cover up the events of the days.

Tobin, meanwhile, meets two girls: Durham Haverford, a rich girl on the upper plate, and Aerith Gainsborough, a cheerleader from the slums. Both girls seem interested in him, and he is interested in both of them. Ultimately, Tobin chooses Durham.

Meanwhile, Genesis copies begin to invade the Shinra Building, leading Zack and Sephiroth to confront Genesis at Reactor Number Five. They soon find Hollander, the scientist behind the entire mess. Deeper into the reactor, Zack encounters Angeal. Before he can reason with him, Zack is sent through the reactor floor and into the slums.

Zack survives the fall, and thereafter meets Aerith. The two teens become smitten with each other, and go on a date. Zack is soon called away to stop another invasion, while Aerith goes to her best friend, Gehrig Cline, to tell her about the day.

And now, the continuation.

April 2, 0001

As Zack approached Shinra Headquarters, he could see searchlights pointed at it from all directions.

"The Shinra Building!" he exclaimed. "Damn you, Genesis! What's the matter with you!? I'll stop you once and for all!"

Suddenly, three Genesis copies descended.

"They don't waste any time!" Zack exclaimed. "I'm in a hurry here, so back off!"

He quickly killed all three with his sword.

"All right!" he said aloud. "Gotta move!"

Several yards down the road, two floating robots bore down on him.

"Next up, we have mechs," Zack announced to himself. "They look pretty adamant about not letting me pass. Well, I'm pretty adamant about busting through!"

He sent them to the scrap heap in two strokes as more Genesis copies began to attack.

"More of them?" he exclaimed. "Enough already! Now I'm surrounded! It's like an army of ants or something. I'll take you all down at once!"

He finished them off in two more strokes. Nothing pursued him after that.

"Finally settled down a bit," he said to himself. "This is taking longer than I thought. I'd better get moving."

And then, he heard something landing behind him.

"Or not," he finished before turning around.

It appeared to be a sophisticated Genesis copy.

"I guess life's just not that simple," Zack continued as he drew his sword. "Yeah, yeah. You don't have to remind me!"

Whatever it was, the creature advanced on Zack and struck at him with a mace, forcing his sword to the ground.

"That stung a little," Zack grunted. "A cut above the usual riff-raff, are we? But you are going down!"

Zack charged the creature and swiped, cutting it in half at the torso.

Turning around, Zack saw a road sign that read "Shinra Company-1.5 km."

"Run the credits," he said, "because that's gotta be the end. I'd better hurry."

Beyond the road sign, Zack dealt with another major surprise. Angeal floated down and landed softly in front of him.

"I need your help," he announced.

"Do you?" Zack taunted as he walked past him. "Honestly, what're you thinking, Angeal?"

"I'm not really sure myself," Angeal replied. "At times I feel as if my mind is mired in fog. But Zack, no matter what happens, I have to protect my honor. As long as I hold the Buster Sword. Zack, join my battle! Our enemy is all that creates suffering."

Zack folded his arms and sighed.

"All right," he said, "I'll help you."

He then turned, but Angeal was gone.

And then, Zack felt himself being lifted in the air.

"Hey, what the fuck?!" he exclaimed.

"I'll carry you there," Angeal announced.

He had grabbed Zack, and was now flying him to the Shinra building.

"No, wait!" Zack protested. "I-"

"Flying feels pretty good," Angeal said.

"I'm going to hurl," Zack complained.

"So you have a girlfriend now?" Angeal inquired.

"You were watching us?" Zack demanded.

"I've been watching everything. But Zack, this girl. She's a-"

"Don't tell me she's a Genesis copy!" Zack exclaimed.

"You might wish she was," Angeal warned.

Angeal flew Zack in through a broken window just as Sephiroth was killing a Genesis copy.

"Sorry to keep you waiting," Zack apologized as his feet touched the floor.

"You're late," Sephiroth replied as he turned to face him.

"Sephiroth, have you lost weight?" Angeal greeted.

Sephiroth grunted and lowered his head.

"On to business," Angeal announced. "It is safe to assume Hollander has ordered Genesis to eliminate Hojo."

"Hojo, the director of the Science Department?" Zack asked.

"Yes," Angeal replied. "He believes Hojo robbed him of his rightful position."

"Then they'll be targeting the Science Department floor upstairs," Zack realized.

"Forget about Hojo," Sephiroth dismissed as he began to walk off.

"You're in your usual mood, I see," Angeal observed. "Sephiroth, take the floors below. I'll handle things outside. Zack, you go up. Hojo will be your responsibility."

"Understood!" Zack agreed.

Zack quickly made his way to the science floor. There, he could see Hojo staring at a console.

"Professor?" he greeted. "Ah, you're safe."

"Shh!" Hojo reprimanded. "Please, be more quiet."

"The building is under attack by the Genesis army," Zack warned. "They may be after you, Professor Hojo."

"And you're my protection?" Hojo asked while observing a clipboard instead of making eye contact.

"In any case, we have to evacuate," Zack insisted. "Will you come with me?"

"Degrading monsters are nothing to fear," Hojo cackled.

"Are you talking about Genesis?" Zack asked.

"Indeed," Hojo replied as he finally turned to face Zack. "A memento from an unenlightened era, when men could deem any unclassified life form an Ancient."

"Unclassified life form?" Zack inquired.

"Jenova," Hojo clarified. "The calamity that fell from the sky."

Zack scratched his head in confusion.

"Your ignorance is of no consequence," said Hojo as he turned away. "SOLDIER's duty is not to think; it is to protect men who think for them, like me."

Zack then turned his attention toward the glass pod that Hojo had been facing.

"What's inside this pod?" he asked aloud. "Oh, nothing's inside."

"Are you certain?" asked Hojo from behind. "There should be something quite intriguing in there. Look closer."

Suddenly, the front glass wall elevated, allowing Zack access to the pod.

"Intriguing?" asked Zack as he foolishly wandered in. "Where? Professor, what-"

Just as suddenly, the door closed behind Zack.

"Hey!" Zack exclaimed as he spun around.

"Don't be concerned," Hojo assured him. "It's merely a simple experiment."

"How can I not be concerned!" Zack protested.

"Answer the following questions," Hojo commanded.

"Questions?!" Zack exclaimed.

"Currently, which do you admire more?" Hojo asked. A SOLDIER operative like Angeal, or like Sephiroth."

"Angeal!" Zack naturally answered.

"What do you think Shinra needs most right now?"

"State-of-the-art science and technology," Zack replied, hoping to flatter the madman.

"Which do you believe to be more befitting a SOLDIER member?" the scientist inquired.

"A person who gives all to Shinra!" Zack answered.

"You are a most promising SOLDIER member," Hojo complimented.

"What's this all about?" Zack demanded.

"In accordance with your wishes," Hojo replied, "I shall enhance your physical capabilities."

And then, the chamber lit up.

"Aaaaaghhh!" cried Zack, but that turned out to be a reflex action. "I thought I would feel more of a surge of power, or something," he said.

"That's just the limit of your cellular structure," Hojo explained. "Or perhaps you would like to be altered to the point of degradation? Like some second-rate scientist I know has done?"

Zack shook his head and exited the chamber. He spent the next several minutes pacing the room.

"It appears you're not keeping very busy," Hojo observed.

"I wouldn't say that," Zack defended, "but-"

"Did you not say I may have unwanted company?" Hojo interrupted. "Are you prepared to defend this brilliant mind with your life?"

"Of course I'm prepared!" Zack assured him. "'Come and get it' is what I say! I'll show them the power of a next-generation SOLDIER First Class!"

"Most encouraging," Hojo laughed. "I won't abide any losses to some second-rate scientist's creation."

Amusingly, just as he said this, black feathers began to appear from above. A moment later, Genesis landed near Hojo.

"Well, look who's here!" Hojo taunted.

Genesis immediately threatened him with his sword.

"Hollander sent you, correct?" Hojo inquired. as he adjusted his glasses. "You think that if you obey Hollander, he'll stop your body from degrading, is that it? Pitiful, just pitiful, I say."

"Genesis," Zack acknowledged as he drew his sword.

"A second-rate hack like Hollander couldn't cure a cold!" Hojo cackled.

And then, there was another visitor in the room.

"Genesis, that's enough!" Angeal ordered.

"Ah, what do we have here?" Hojo inquired.

"My friend," began Genesis as he quoted Loveless again, "the fates are cruel. There are no dreams, no honor remains. The arrow has left the bow of the goddess."

"The entire case of Hollander's freak show!" Hojo taunted.

"Shut up, you!" Zack shouted.

"Loveless, Act IV," Genesis said.

"Where the two friends challenge each other to a duel," Hojo added.

Everyone gasped. Hojo was the last person anyone had expected to be a fan of Loveless.

"An ancient epic," Hojo continued. "I read it thinking it might aid my research, but pure drivel."

"How does the duel end?" Angeal asked.

"Unknown," Hojo replied. "The last act is missing, and yet to be discovered."

"There are various theories," Genesis added.

Before anyone could stop him, he walked up to the testing chamber and destroyed it with a fireball. The force was so strong it left a hole in the wall.

"The mysterious gift of the goddess," What is the meaning behind it? For us, at least."

With that, Genesis disappeared into the hole.

Genesis walks toward the hole, then takes flight and exits through it. Zack runs after him, and Angeal trails after.

"Hey!" demanded Zack as he began to charge. "Hold it, Genesis!"

A moment later, Angeal grabbed Zack and lifted him off of the floor, just like the other time.

Hojo stood alone in the destroyed room, cackling softly to himself.

Angeal and Zack found Genesis on the balcony of the seventieth floor.

"My soul, corrupted by vengeance, hath endured torment, to find the end of the journey, in my own salvation, and your eternal slumber," Genesis said as he raised his arm.

Suddenly, portal began to open.

"He's summoning again!" Zack shouted.

"Zack, I leave this to you," Angeal announced as he set Zack on the floor.

"Huh?"

"You can do this," Angeal assured him. "Trust me."

"Don't leave me here!" Zack protested.

Angeal began to ascend.

"Stop!" Zack called. "Come back!"

As Angeal and Genesis began fighting, Zack's cell phone began to ring. Shinra carries a strict policy requiring all employees to turn their phones of on missions, but not only did Zack's phone ring, he answered it!

"Aerith?" asked Zack. "Listen, can I call you back later? I have some company."

"Don't keep your guests waiting, handsome!" she replied before hanging up.

And then, the summon presented itself; it was another behemoth, only this one was golden.

"'Don't keep your guest waiting,' she says," Zack repeated as he drew his sword.

The behemoth took a swipe at Zack, which he easily dodged. He then returned the swipe, and struck the creature for sure, but the behemoth didn't flinch. It struck at Zack again, causing him to jump backward once more, and a sudden shock came when his back hit the glass behind him. He was against the windows; the next swipe the behemoth would take would be fatal.

Wasting no time, he stabbed the behemoth in the neck. Black blood oozed from the wound as the dying creature seemed to attempt to grab its neck. It began to step backward. Suddenly, it was out of view, and Zack knew right away that the creature had fallen to its death from the ledge.

Zack quickly ran forward, turned around, and looked up.

Angeal and Genesis were nowhere to be seen.

"Where is everybody?" he asked aloud.

MEANWHILE...

Aerith knocked on the door next to the mailbox that read "Cline" on it.

Gehrig answered the door and immediately threw her arms around her friend. She was beyond excited to hear about her good fortune.

"Someone's had a surprising day!" she said. "Come on in!"

The two girls walked into the kitchen and sat down. Aerith then realized that she and Gehrig were the only ones in the house.

"Where's Mary Ellen?" she asked.

"On the prowl, as usual," Gehrig sighed. "Almost forty and won't slow down."

"Oh," Aerith said sheepishly. "I'm sorry."

"I'm used to it," Gehrig said. "So what's he like?"

"What do you mean?" Aerith asked.

"How tall is he?" Gehrig clarified.

"Six feet," Aerith replied.

"Good enough," Gehrig said. "Is he handsome?"

"As hell!" Aerith answered.

"Did you take a selfie?" Gehrig asked.

Aerith shook her head.

"The date kind of ran away with itself."

At that moment, the front door opened. In came a woman who looked like Gehrig, but was a couple of decades older, and had blond hair.

"Aerith!" she greeted.

"Hey, Mary Ellen," she greeted back.

And then, their classmate Ronaldo (the one who mooned them with a steering wheel drawn on his ass) appeared in the kitchen.

Gehrig gave Mary Ellen a disappointed look.

"Mom, you brought Ronaldo over?"

"He won't bother you," Mary Ellen assured her. "He'll be with me."

Gehrig rolled her eyes; she knew exactly what that meant.

With that, Mary Ellen led Ronaldo up the stairs.

Gehrig pressed her forehead and sighed.

"This is a new low," she muttered. "But anyways, are you going to see him again?"

"Oh yeah," Aerith replied with a smile. "We have a date at the aquarium."

"You better kiss next time," Gehrig said.

"I wanted to this time!" Aerith informed her. "But I didn't want to be too forward."

"The second date won't be," Gehrig assured her. "Trust me on this one."

"I believe it," Aerith said.

"How old is he?" Gehrig asked.

"I never asked," Aerith replied. "I think about our age."

Then, Gehrig got a wicked grin. "Does he have any hot friends?"

"Someone named Angeal," Aerith replied.

Gehrig became disappointed.

"That sounds like a girls' name," she said.

"He's got a cute butt," Aerith added with a smile.

"What does he do?" asked Gehrig.

"He's in SOLDIER," Aerith replied, wondering how her friend would respond.

"SOLDIER?" asked Gehrig skeptically.

"First Class," Aerith clarified. "He's really a great guy, though. I swear. He even forgave a kid who robbed him."

"I'm sure," Gehrig said. "I just haven't been a fan of the Shinra ever since Mary Ellen brought Rufus home."

"She brought Rufus Shinra home once?!" Aerith exclaimed.

"She sure did," Gehrig replied. "And you know how they say nobody's ever seen him bleed or cry?"

Aerith nodded.

"Mary Ellen said he cried during sex," Gehrig informed her.

Both girls began to laugh in unison.

"Oh, did you wear that when you met him?" Gehrig asked, pointing to he outfit.

Aerith nodded.

"Wear it again," Gehrig ordered. "It attracted him this time. It'll attract him next time, too."

Just then, a very happy looking Mary Ellen came down with a very happy looking Ronaldo.

"You girls didn't hear us, did you?" Mary Ellen asked.

An embarrassed Gehrig slapped her forehead again.


	32. Second Date

Premonitions II: Crisis Core

Chapter 32: Second Date

April 5, 0001

The aquarium was located in Sector Two. It did not stick out like a sore thumb, but the sign and parking lot easily gave it away.

Zack arrived early to find Aerith waiting for him under the awning; he had not forgotten her fear of the sky.

Having listened to Gehrig, Aerith was dressed in her white tank and skirt. She quickly smiled once she noticed that he had arrived; she was beyond happy to see him again. She was also thinking about the end of the date; she was sorely hoping they would kiss.

"Hey!" she greeted as she hugged him. "You're early!"

"You, too!" he replied. He could smell that she was wearing the perfume he had bought her.

Aerith then led him to the ticket booth. Of course, Zack paid for the tickets.

The first room featured fish that were native to the rivers of the Eastern Continent.

"So where are you from?" Aerith asked. "Originally, I mean."

"Gongaga," Zack replied.

"On the Western Continent?" Aerith asked.

"You got it," he answered.

"Do you have family back there?"

"Just my parents," Zack answered.

"Any brothers or sisters?"

Zack shook his head.

"I'm an only child," he said.

"Me, too," she said.

"So it's just you and your parents?" he asked.

"Me and my mom," Aerith corrected. "My dad died when I was seven."

"Oh," said Zack. "I'm sorry."

"Well," she continued, "actually, he would've been if he had lived. My mom adopted me right before he died."

"You're adopted?"

Aerith nodded.

"So I guess my biological father could still be alive, wherever he might be."

At that moment, the corridor ended, and the new couple found themselves at a flight of stairs.

"Stairs," she said out loud.

"No problem," Zack replied with a smile.

He then stood in front of her with his back turned. Then he bent down, reached back, grabbed her legs, and lifted her up onto his back.

Aerith squealed in delight as Zack began to carry her up the stairs, wrapping her arms around his neck. She toyed with the idea of pecking him on the cheek, but ended up resisting the urge. She wanted the timing to be perfect.

The second floor featured fish from the oceans. These were the more colorful ones that most people wanted to see.

"This one's beautiful," Aerith said when observing one of them.

Zack seized the opportunity to flirt.

"So are you," he complimented.

Aerith put her arm around him and hugged him from the side; she had never been complimented like that in her life. It was such a good feeling. She then squeezed his muscles again. She just had to.

"Do you play any sports?" she asked.

Zack shook his head.

"I played basketball until I was ten," he answered. "I don't think that counts. You?"

"I'm a cheerleader," Aerith replied. "I don't know if that counts, either. I've been doing it since I was in sixth grade. It's really fun."

Zack then took Aerith's hand in his.

Aerith was once again on cloud nine; it was something she had been waiting for

. She was still getting used to the fact she was dating someone. Even then, she was waiting for the moment their lips met. She was wondering how it would feel. But, for now, it was time for them to get to know each other.

"So this Angeal guy," Aerith began as they continued down the corridor.

"What about him?" Zack asked.

His mouth dried a little; he still had no idea of his whereabouts.

"Is he your best friend?" she inquired.

"I would say he's more of a mentor to me," he replied. "He's ten years older. I met him when I joined SOLDIER. I guess you could say he's the older brother I never had."

"So he's your best friend," she suggested.

Zack nodded in agreement.

"Gehrig's my best friend," she said. "She's five months older than me."

"How long have you known her?"

"Since I was eight," she replied. "I met her the first day of third grade. My teacher yelled at me on the way in and I was feeling pretty down."

"And Gehrig did something nice?" Zack asked.

"No," Aerith replied with a smirk. "She pulled the chair from me as I was sitting down and I fell on my butt. I looked at her dead in the eyes, and I just found the whole thing so funny I started laughing. And we've been best friends ever since."

"I take it she's not actually a mean person?" he suggested.

Aerith shook her head.

"Gehrig loves pranks," she continued. "In fourth grade she would knock on classroom doors and run away."

"Did she get in trouble?" Zack asked.

She shook her head again.

"She stopped once they were onto her, so no. She then just started laying down on the playground, pretending to be dead. Then, in fifth grade, she found out what a seizure was, so she always pretended to have one. She would also pretend to be drowning in the pool."

It was obvious to Zack that Aerith and Gehrig were rather close. He knew that if he let Aerith down, he would certainly be dealing with Gehrig.

"So where are you originally from?" Zack asked as they passed a tank full of morays.

"I've lived in Midgar since I can remember," Aerith replied. "I went from slum to slum with my biological mom. But she died at the Sector Seven Station when her heart gave out. I was lucky that Elmyra-that's my adoptive mom-just happened to be there. She took me home, and I've been there ever since."

Zack affectionately stroked Aerith's shoulder.

The feeling of his skin on hers was most certainly welcome for Aerith, and it caused her heart to beat faster. Still, she wanted to wait for the right moment.

Zack was silent. He really liked this girl, and her background touched him. Her presence even made him feel easier.

And yet, there was what Angeal had said to him. It remained in the back of his head, like a car scratch that couldn't be fixed.

"Hey, I never asked something." Aerith continued. "How old are you?"

"Seventeen," Zack answered. "You?"

"Sixteen," Aerith replied.

"Do you drive yet?"

Aerith giggled and shook her head. "Driving scares me almost as much as the sky."

There was that reminder. He had never known anyone afraid of the sky before.

"School's on the upper plate," Zack pointed out.

"I know," she agreed. "But it is inside. I'm okay being in the building and the stadium."

"Have you ever been outside the city?" Zack asked.

"Just once," she replied. "I went to Costa del Sol for my sixteenth birthday. And even that was under a roof."

"I see," said Zack.

"Are you sure it's not weird?" she asked.

"Positive," he assured her. "Everyone's afraid of something."

He's got that right. Men are afraid of stuff, too, we just won't admit it. I'm personally afraid of phone calls. Mind you, this is the texting age, and phone calls often bring news of something serious, like somebody's death. That's the burden of my fear of phone calls. Ironically, a lot of people you'll read about in this journal of mine do die, usually in outlandish or even hilarious manners.

"Really?" Aerith asked. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure," Zack approved.

"What are you afraid of?"

Zack hesitated. He was certainly afraid for Angeal. The man had killed his own mother. Even if it was possible to redeem him, his life would be ruined.

But then, there was the other thing he had feared. Before the whole mess began.

"I guess not becoming a hero," he finally replied.

"Is that why you joined SOLDIER?" Aerith asked.

"Yeah," he confirmed. "My biggest fear is just coming and going and not becoming a hero. And..."

He stopped himself. He almost ranted about Angeal.

"And what?" she asked.

"Nah, forget it," Zack dismissed. "Nothing to talk about on a date."

"It's okay," Aerith insisted.

"My friend Angeal," Zack replied. "He's been acting...not himself lately."

"I hope he's okay," she said.

The upper corridor then ended. In front of them, the path descended, and the young couple could see a descending, spiral ramp, surrounded by glass walls with sun fish, rays, and sea turtles behind them. It was an ocean tank.

"Like this?" Zack asked as he began to lead her down the ramp.

"I love it, actually," Aerith. "It's so calming."

She gazed in amazement as the creatures swam by. She had never seen anything like it in her life.

Halfway down the ramp, Aerith stopped them.

"Can I get a selfie?" she requested.

"Sure," Zack approved.

She pulled out her cell phone, snuggled against him, and took the picture.

They then resumed their way down. At the bottom of the tank, there was a glass tunnel that led to a revolving door. To the right of the door read a sign: BEWARE: YOU ARE ENTERING THE NORTH.

"It's cold in there," Aerith pointed out.

"Do you still want to go in?" Zack asked. "It's okay if it's too cold."

She turned to him and smiled.

"I won't be as cold if you were holding me," she said.

Zack nodded with a smile and led her through the door.

It was almost a different world in the next room. There was artificial snow all over the ground, and snow machines made it continue to fall.

There was a tank with a walrus, one with a polar bear, and one with penguins. There was also sixty or so children there; it must have been some sort of field trip from a school.

Zack and Aerith gazed at each tank for a good five minutes. Each time, Zack stood behind her with his arms wrapped around her torso. She loved that feeling as well. Then, as he was watching the penguins, Zack felt something cold hit his face.

He immediately turned to see Aerith with a playfully guilty look on her face. Her hands were wet with melted snow.

"Sorry!" she said sheepishly.

Immediately, Zack scooped some snow into his hands, made a snowball, and threw it, gently hitting Aerith in the shoulder.

"Sorry doesn't cut it!" he said.

Aerith grinned as she quickly gathered more snow and tossed it in Zack's direction, but the snowball landed at his feet.

"You throw like a girl," he teased.

"I _am_ a girl!" she retorted.

Zack tossed another snowball.

Aerith dodged it, and it rolled down a ramp and disappeared into the darkness.

"What's down there?" she asked.

"Dunno," Zack replied. "I haven't been here in eleven years." He then started down the ramp. "There's only one way to find out."

Aerith took his hand again and followed him down the dark tunnel. Around the corridor, they beheld lights, and could quickly see what was in the tanks: hammerheads, tiger sharks, and mako sharks.

"Wow!" Aerith exclaimed. "This is the closest I've ever been to a shark!"

"This is the closest I ever want to be to a shark!" Zack added.

Aerith giggled.

Zack took a look at one of the mako sharks.

"This one kind of looks like Sephiroth," he observed.

"Who's Seth Roth?" she asked.

"Someone I work with," Zack replied. "Probably one of the best fighter's I've ever seen."

Beyond the shark tanks was a double door that read: STRANGER CREATURES THIS WAY.

"Now this, I've got to see!" Zack announced as he led Aerith through the doors.

The room beyond was still minimally lit. Only here, soothing music was playing over the speaker. There were ten or so tanks in the room, and each of them were full of jellyfish, seemingly pulsating gently to the music. They were illuminated in red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple by artificial lights.

Aerith had both her hands placed on her heart.

"Zack!" she gasped. "This is amazing!"

She slowly turned three hundred and sixty degrees, gazing in amazement. When she stopped turning, she was facing Zack, the man who brought her here.

"Zack," she said, "thank you for this."

"Don't mention it," he insisted.

Aerith looked him in the eyes.

_It's time_, she thought.

She gently placed her hands on his shoulders.

She closed her eyes.

She slowly leaned forward.

And their lips met.

And he wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her back.

It was her first kiss; she had spent her late childhood and early adolescence dreaming of that moment; she now felt like her body was on fire. It lasted a long five seconds. Then they broke the kiss, slightly pulled back, and gazed at each other's faces as Zack gently stroked her hair.

"Does this make you my boyfriend?" she asked.

"You bet it does," Zack replied happily.

Aerith smiled, and put her hands on Zack's cheeks. She then kissed him again for much longer than before. The feeling of his lips pressed against hers gave her a sensation she had never felt before. It was something she couldn't describe, but she didn't care. It was the best feeling she had had yet.

And then, the door opened, followed by the sound of fifty kids entering the room. Zack and Aerith broke the kiss-too late.

"Ew!" cried one of the boys. "They're making out in here!"

"Woooo!" cried another boy. "I bet that's his girlfriend!"

"I think it's time to move on!" Zack suggested.

THAT NIGHT...

"We kissed!" Aerith squealed.

"Great!" Gehrig cheered into her phone.

The two girls were on a video call.

"I got the selfie," Gehrig continued. "How did you get so lucky?"

"I was asking the same thing!" Aerith giggled.

"Well, are you going on date number three?" Gehrig asked.

"The day after tomorrow," Aerith replied. "We're seeing a movie. I guess I need to wear something different this time?"

Gehrig nodded.

"Wear pants this time," she suggested. "He's probably curious about what your legs look like."

"Will do," Aerith said. "Thanks. I wouldn't know. My life's so 'Suitable-for-All-Ages!'"

"My life's been rated 'Eighteen and Up' since last year when I dated Chuckie Knox for three months," Gehrig reminded her. "It leaves you wiser."

Just then, the door to Gehrig's room opened, and an eighteen-year-old with his shirt off appeared in the doorway.

Gehrig spun her head around.

"No, that's my daughter's room!" Mary Ellen called from the hallway.

The shirtless guest disappeared as the humiliated Gehrig dropped her head into her pillow.


	33. Date Tales

Premonitions II: Chapter 33: Date Tales

And so, Zack and Aerith went on more dates over the course of the spring.

DATE #3

April 7, 0001

LOCATION: Sector Six Cinemas

Zack stood next to Aerith in the theater lobby, ready to buy the tickets on his cell phone. Being the gentleman that he was, he let his girlfriend pick the movie.

"What are we seeing?" he asked.

"_Cat in a Tree_," Aerith replied.

She had listened to Gehrig, and was wearing a pair of black leggings with a baby tee. It flattered her body shape, and she hoped Zack noticed. They had kissed when they met, and Zack picked her up off the ground, causing her to slightly squeal in delight.

"Sounds good," he agreed as he bought the tickets. He also got them drinks and popcorn.

Then, they went into the theater, and Zack felt his heart sink. The theater was full of girls; Zack was the only man there. It didn't take him long to figure out the situation.

"Is this a chick flick?" he asked.

"Yes," Aerith giggled. "I'm a chick, aren't I?"

He checked his phone again. Sure enough, the words "romantic epic" appeared in the synopsis.

Zack groaned inside, realizing that it was the nature of the beast. Then he saw the bottom line: NO ONE UNDER 16 ADMITTED.

Maybe I'll see some tits and ass, he thought to himself.

The lights dimmed, and the title "_Cat in a Tree_" appeared on the screen.

Five seconds later, the screen went blank, and the lights came on.

The whole theater began to grumble over the sudden change.

Meanwhile, Zack, Aerith, and a few other moviegoers looked up to discover the reason for the delay.

A thirteen-year-old girl was on the catwalk near the roof; she had obviously hid there to get past the rating.

Three ushers had climbed up there and apprehended her.

Then one girl in the crowd made her opinion known.

"I came to see _Cat in a Tree_, not a fucking monkey on a wire!"

THAT NIGHT...

The nudity Zack has been hoping to see can be summed up thus:

"You've got to take Mary Ellen to see this!" Aerith advised Gehrig over the phone. "It shows the guy's fireman!"

"Will do!" Gehrig agreed enthusiastically. "My life is rated 'Eighteen and Up' anyway. I wouldn't mind."

"I know too well," Aerith said with a smirk.

The female lead, for the record, exposed nothing more than her shoulder blades.

DATE #4

April 13, 0001

LOCATION: SECTOR FIVE SLUMS

Zack knew that he would eventually meet Elmyra. As he stood waiting at Aerith's front door, he reminded himself about how he did his best to impress Mrs. G. He had dressed in a button-down and khakis, and wore cologne. All I'll say is that he was lucky he wasn't dating Gehrig. Mary Ellen would have ripped his clothes off right away.

Elmyra was the one who answered the door.

"Hello!" she greeted. "You must be Zack!"

"I am," he replied as he shook hands with her.

"Come on in!" she invited.

Aerith was waiting for him in the kitchen. She was wearing a black tank top and a pair of skinny jeans.

"Hey!" she greeted as she threw her arms around him and kissed him.

Elmyra ordered takeout for dinner, where she more or less got to know Zack really well. After that, Elmyra went upstairs, leaving Zack and Aerith with the kitchen to themselves.

"How old were you when she adopted you?" Zack asked.

"Seven," she replied.

"So she's been your mom for nine years," he realized as he noticed a set of pictures. "I see those pictures on the wall. She was there for all the milestones."

"You know," she said. "You're right." She then glanced at the pictures. "Those were my last eight birthdays."

"Those pics look lit up," Zack observed.

"Oh, they're electronic," Aerith said as she stood up. "Come over for a closer look."

Zack followed her over to the pictures.

The first one read "Fifteenth Birthday."

The picture featured Aerith wearing a white crop top and a pair of jean shorts.

"I think that was the only time I ever wore a crop top out in public," she said, slightly embarrassed. "It was when Jeri Lyons was famous."

"She's still famous," he pointed out.

"She's not as famous," she corrected. "Nobody's downloading her fifth album. Besides, she's getting old. She's almost twenty-five."

"Do you still like her?" Zack asked.

"Maybe," Aerith replied with a grin.

The next picture read "Fourteenth Birthday."

This picture looked like it was taken at an indoor pool. There were two girls wearing one-pieces with their arms around each other. One was Aerith. The other had black hair. Zack had never seen that girl before, but he quickly deduced who it was.

"Is that Gehrig?" Zack asked.

Aerith nodded.

"That's my bestie," she replied. "Of seven years."

"You're really close, aren't you?" Zack observed.

She nodded again.

"I don't know where I'd be without her," she replied. "She's got me through the worst of times. She's one of the three most important people in my life."

"Three?"

"Another one's my mom," she continued.

"And the third?" he asked hopefully.

She turned to face him. "Take a wild guess," she said as she kissed him on the mouth.

The next picture read: "Thirteenth Birthday."

Gehrig and Aerith were wearing ski gear. Snow and evergreens were surrounding them.

"Where's this?" Zack asked.

"We went skiing outside of Modeoheim," Aerith replied. "It was my first time skiing there. And my last."

"You got hurt?" he asked.

Aerith shook her head.

"I was getting a strange feeling the whole time I was there," she answered.

"I've gotten those," Zack informed her. "There's less oxygen up there."

Aerith shook her head again.

"Something seemed to be...calling me to the south," she clarified. "It was really creepy."

The following picture read "Twelfth Birthday."

It featured Aerith, Gehrig, and a couple of other girls at what looked like a bowling alley.

Aerith had a sour look on her face.

"Someone wasn't having a happy birthday," Zack pointed out.

"I was jealous," Aerith replied. "Gehrig was allowed to wear a crop top, and my mom wouldn't let me." She paused. "It's funny how being a kid really sucks."

The next picture read "Tenth Birthday."

It featured Aerith, Gehrig, and several more girls in their pajamas and on sleeping bags.

"That was my first and only slumber party," she explained. "We were so loud my mom got three calls!"

"There was no eleventh birthday?" Zack asked.

Aerith shook her head.

"I was grounded," she said weakly. "Because of my report card."

"Oh," said Zack. "I'm sorry."

Somehow, it didn't ring true to him. He realized that it was probably something she was just not ready to tell him yet.

The next picture read "Ninth Birthday."

It had Aerith, Gehrig, and eight other girls at some sort of family fun center.

"I can't even remember who half of these girls were," she said. "I haven't talked to them since middle school."

"Did they move?" Zack asked.

"Two of them did," Aerith replied. "The others I just stopped talking to once we hit middle school."

The last picture read "Eighth Birthday."

It only had Aerith and Elmyra.

"I didn't have any friends yet," she said. "But it was my first birthday with her as my mom. She adopted me when I was seven."

Zack then became curious about something.

"What was before that?" he asked.

"Nothing," replied Aerith as she shook her head. "Nothing was before that."

"Nothing at all?" asked the perplexed Zack.

"I don't even have any baby pictures," she added.

It sounded strange. Aerith was, no doubt, a nice girl, but Zack was left a little sketchy about the whole thing. He also still had what Angeal had said to him. She was not a Genesis copy, but he would almost wish she was.

_What does Angeal know about Aerith that I don't?_ he thought to himself.

At the end of the night, Elmyra walked Zack out.

"Just let my girl finish high school, okay?" She requested.

"No problem," he replied.

Zack was perplexed again, not knowing what she had meant.

I knew, of course. Aerith wanted to get married young, and if she somehow had the chance to do it at sixteen or seventeen, she would.

DATE #5

April 18, 0001

LOCATION: Midgar Zoological Garden

Zack had taken Aerith to the zoo. She was happy, as she loved most animals, but it got annoying for Zack when she had them spend way too much time in the petting zoo. Aerith did have a childish personality, and here it really stuck out like a sore thumb.

The one place she wanted to avoid was the reptile house.

"I hate snakes!" she exclaimed.

So they avoided it.

The most memorable event of the day was the big cats. They stopped by the cougar exhibit, where said cougar was sitting innocently behind a thick sheet of glass. It won someone's heart right away.

"Why, hello there!" Aerith greeted sweetly.

The cougar licked its lips and flicked its ears.

Aerith reached the glass and stroked her hand against it, pretending to pet the cougar.

The cougar lowered its head, as if to accept the petting.

"Awwww!" she squealed. "I want to take him home with me!"

"I thought you were a dog person," Zack said.

"I am," she agreed. "But at least he's the size of a dog."

"What do you want to name the cougar?" he asked.

"Mary Ellen," Aerith giggled.

Mind you, Zack didn't get it at this point.

Then, suddenly, the cougar got up on its hind legs and pressed its front paws against the glass.

Aerith shrieked and staggered towards Zack, wrapping her arms around him tightly.

"Never mind!" she gasped. "It's a bad idea!"

DATE #6

April 30, 0001

LOCATION: Gongaga

It was eventually time for Aerith to meet Zack's parents as well.

Zack chartered a plane to fly to Gongaga, where Aerith sat next to him nervously, due to her fear of the sky.

Zack's parents immediately took a liking to Aerith.

"Those eyes!" Mrs. Fair exclaimed. "What kind of contacts are you wearing?"

"None!" Aerith giggle. They're my natural eye color!"

Zack's mom cooked dinner for everyone. After dinner, his parents pulled him into the other room. Aerith was left to sit alone in the kitchen. All she heard was the last thing said.

"Keep your pecker in your pocket!" ordered Mr. Fair.

"Yes, sir," Zack sighed.

He then duly returned to the kitchen.

"Everything ok?" Aerith asked.

Zack nodded.

"Just pep talk," he said.

In response, Aerith wrapped her arms around him and kissed him.

"They do like you," he assured her.

Aerith smiled weakly.

Zack could tell she was uncomfortable about the pending flight home. He then got an idea.

"I'll show you something," he suddenly announced.

"What's that?" she asked.

"Come with me," he commanded.

He led her down a corridor until it dead-ended. He then reached for a string that was attached to the ceiling.

Aerith felt her stomach tighten.

"Zack," she said in a concerned tone of voice, "is this the sky?"

He nodded

"Zack..."

"Will you trust me?" he requested.

She hesitated for a moment. Then she nodded. She realized that their relationship couldn't work if she didn't trust him.

He took her hand, and noticed that her palm was sweaty. With his free hand, he pulled the string. A set of wooden stairs gently descended until they touched the ground.

Zack slowly led Aerith up the stairs; she tightened her grip as she climbed. A moment later, they were standing on the roof.

Zack then took both of Aerith's hands, and looked her directly in the eyes.

"Look up," he commanded.

Gathering her trust, she did so.

The sky was a blanket of stars from one horizon to the other.

She gasped in awe; she had never seen anything like it in her life.

"Zack," she said as she squeezed both of his hands. "It's beautiful!"

"You'll never see this in Midgar!" Zack exclaimed.

She continued to gaze at the stars she had never viewed before. And then, she let go of his hands. She slowly spun three hundred and sixty degrees in sheer amazement. Then, she turned to the man who had brought her up there.

"I-I don't think I'm afraid of the sky anymore," Aerith began as she placed her hands on his shoulders.

"Really?" he asked. "That's great!"

"And it's all because of you," she said sincerely.

She then leaned in and kissed him.

"Thank you!" she whispered.

And she kissed him again.

_I don't think anything will ever scare me again_, she thought.

DATE #7

May 6, 0001

"I'm beyond scared!" Aerith exclaimed as she gripped the steering wheel.

"Just keep you hands on the wheel and your foot on the gas," Zack insisted. "You'll be fine."

As you might have figured, Zack was teaching Aerith to drive. She could easily work the wheel and pedals, but those were the least of her concerns. There were few functioning traffic lights in the slums, so it was a general rule for most people to stop at every intersection.

Eventually, they came upon a ramp under a big green sign that read "TO: UPPER PLATE."

"Let's go for it!" Zack suggested.

"Okay," Aerith replied. "I'm trusting you!"

She took the ramp up, and nicer architecture, as well as functioning traffic lights, came into view.

The drivers up there were friendlier as well. It was nothing like the slums.

"This isn't so bad!" Aerith said happily.

She continued down the street until she reached a red stoplight.

"Red light!" she announced as she pressed her lips against Zack's.

She repeated the feat at every red light she stopped at.

And then, there was a ramp to the Inner Beltway.

"Now, for the expressway," Zack announced.

"Are you crazy?!" Aerith exclaimed. "I'm going to get us killed!"

"You won't," he assured her. "Trust me."

Aerith turned nervously onto the ramp and began to accelerate. At first, she was driving half the speed limit, with everyone passing her (and a few flipping her off in the process). Soon, she was able to maintain herself. And then, without realizing it, she began to go faster and faster.

"I think I'm getting the hang of this!" she said.

A moment later, it was ruined.

Red and blue lights appeared in the rear view mirror.

"Oh my God!" she gasped as her eyes became wet and her heart became fast. "What should I do?"

"Just pull over," Zack gently commanded.

She pulled over. Her hands began to sweat as she could see the police officer approaching the car.

"License, registration, and insurance, please?" the cop requested.

Aerith began to shake; she thought she would be arrested for sure.

"Ummm..." she weakly began.

"I'm teaching her to drive!" Zack announced.

For a moment, there was dead silence.

Aerith felt sweat trickle down her back.

"Hey!" the cop suddenly shouted. "You're Zack Fair!"

"That's me," Zack said.

"Shit!" the cop continued. "You're obviously on your way to a mission!" He then turned to Aerith. "Missy, my apologies! I didn't know you were working for him. Carry on!"

A minute later, the cop was gone.

Aerith sighed in relief as she rested her head against Zack's chest.

"Take the wheel," she sighed. "I think I've driven enough today."

THE STUFF THAT MIGHT HAVE GONE UNNOTICED...

The scene where Aerith and Zack look at the former's pictures heavily parallels the scene where she and Cloud do the same in the original _Premonitions_. This is, of course, done intentionally.

The "calling" Aerith was feeling was coming from, of course, the Forgotten Capital, which is otherwise neither seen nor mentioned in this novel.


	34. Dumped!

Premonitions II: Chapter 34: Dumped!

May 13, 0001

Of course, now that Zack had a girlfriend didn't mean his job was any less a priority.

One morning, there were reports of a "treasure princess" lurking on the plains outside of Costa del Sol.

Zack had received an email reading: "This message from an anonymous source hints at a secret treasure to be found on the plains. If it gets into the wrong hands, it may become a threat to Shinra's very existence. Go there and protect our interests!"

"Sounds serious," said Lazard from his desk, without making eye contact. Something was clearly on his mind.

"Should I investigate this?" Zack asked.

"Zack," Lazard replied, still without making eye contact, "you know we take no chances."

LATER...

Later that day, Zack found himself on the plains. As soon as he was there, he was quickly attacked by the wildlife, which included, but was not limited to, giant insects and strange looking birds of prey.

After dispatching the monsters, Zack happened upon a metal treasure box. He opened the treasure box, but before he had time to analyze the contents, he realized that he was not alone.

"One, for want of treasures kept secret," said a young girl.

"Where have I heard that voice before?" Zack whispered.

"Two, to deliver dreams to her homeland," she continued.

Zack spun around to see Yuffie Kisaragi staring him down.

"Three, um, here she comes!"

She charged closer to Zack, but stopped before making impact.

"I am the Treasure Princess!" Yuffie declared. "Hear me roar!"

"You!" exclaimed Zack. "You're that weird kid I saw in Wutai!"

"Sucker!" she retorted. "I can only guess what you're expecting, you pervert!"

"Hey now!" Zack objected. "I'm no sucker! And I'm certainly not a pervert! My name is Zack!" He then gave her a calm look. "So are you lost, by chance? You want me to take you home?"

"I'm not lost!" Yuffie dismissed. "I'm here to take your treasure. All of it. In the name of Wutai's restoration."

Yuffie starting circling Zack, pretending to jab at him.

"It's okay, kid," Zack assured her. "You can be honest. You're lost, aren't you?"

Yuffie simply put her hands on her hips.

"Today's Shinra's last day!"

Zack sighed as he folded his arms.

"Well, I guess I'm in big trouble now," he said. "So the mail came from you after all." He then gave her an annoyed look. "Say, how did you get my email address?"

"Wanna know the truth?" Yuffie asked.

"Yes, I do," Zack insisted.

"Then why don't you check your mail?"

"My mail?" he asked.

"Yeah," she replied. "Take your cell out of your pocket and...don't you want to read your mail?"

"You thought you could steal something from me while I was looking at my phone, didn't you?" Zack deduced. "Sorry, but I'm not falling for that one. So tell me, how did you get my mail address? Cough it up, kid!"

Suddenly, Yuffie began to cry.

"I want my treasure," she sobbed.

She then turned and ran off.

"She cries way too much," Zack muttered. And then, he got mad. "And she got away without spilling the beans on how she got my mail address!"

May 30, 0001

That was Zack's work highlight for the later spring. He went on more dates with Aerith after that.

As usual, Aerith would report what happened to Gehrig through a video call.

"We tongue kissed!" Aerith giggled one evening, after a date.

"What date was that?" Gehrig asked.

"Twelve," Aerith replied. "I just want to see him more and more. And I know he does, too."

Suddenly, a naughty grin appeared on Gehrig's face.

"Dum dum dum!" she sang.

"What?" asked a puzzled Aerith.

"We all know what's coming soon," Gehrig replied. "Soon your 'innocent,' 'suitable-for-all-ages' life will be rated as 'highly' as mine!"

Aerith's mouth began to dry. In all the excitement over her first relationship, she had failed to consider that eventuality.

"We're not planning on doing it," she finally said.

"You usually don't," Gehrig informed her. "It kind of just happens."

"I see," said Aerith softly.

It made her nervous. She had changed in front of the girls in the locker room, of course, but no man had ever seen her naked, or even in her underwear. It would be a new experience she wasn't sure she was ready for.

"Don't you want to have sex?" Gehrig asked.

"I mean, someday," Aerith replied. "I just don't think I'm ready."

"You're missing a great experience," Gehrig insisted.

"How will I know?" Aerith asked. "When he wants to do it?"

"You'll get ample warning," Gehrig assured her. "He'll either kiss your neck or touch your butt. That's your queue."

Aerith was silent.

"Trust me," Gehrig stressed. "You'll love it."

June 3, 0001

Things had been quiet with my life. I was still working my boring job at Shinra Headquarters. Every now and then, I'd cloak myself and go up to the SOLDIER floor, but I'd never see anything meaningful.

One evening, I saw Palmer get off the elevator with, of all people, Cid.

"We'll be in touch," Palmer said as he shook his hand. He then returned to the elevator.

"You again," Cid greeted as soon as he noticed me.

"What're you doing here?" I asked.

"If everything goes the way I think it should," Cid replied, "I'll become the first man in space."

"You're going into outer space?" I asked skeptically. "You?"

"That's the plan," he replied. "So I never found out...did you ask the girl in the thong out? Did you touch her ass like old Cid told you to?"

I shook my head. I figured I might as well satisfy him.

"I touched another girl's ass," I told him. "She was butt-ass naked."

"Even better!" Cid complimented.

"And ever been together ever since," I added. "Four months."

"Have you fucked her?" he asked.

I shook my head.

"Jesus H. Christ!" Cid exclaimed. "After four months?!"

"She wants to take it slow," I informed him.

"She wants you to make a move," Cid insisted. "How far have you gone?"

"We've made out with hands over our clothes," I replied.

"Numbskull," Cid groaned, "you need to get under her clothes. Now."

"She might not let me," I said.

"Trust me," Cid insisted. "She wants you to make the move."

June 4, 0001

I had what Cid told me on my mind the next evening, when I was on a date with Durham. We were in her room, and on her couch, with me giving her yet another leg rub. She was wearing gym shorts, which didn't look like they were coming off any time soon.

I then decided to try something. To her surprise, I pulled her up and kissed her. She giggled and kissed back, and pushed me backward until she was on top of me. She certainly was in a romantic mood tonight; that was the case about half of the time we were together.

As we continued to kiss, her shirt rode up slightly, revealing the small of her back. Realizing that this would be my chance to take a chance, I ran my fingers over her skin.

She did not object.

_Maybe Cid was right,_ I thought.

As we continued to kiss, I gradually lowered my hand to the rim of her shorts.

She still didn't object.

We continued to make out for a while. Then, I decided to take the plunge. Slowly and cautiously, I slid my hand under her shorts and gently squeezed the flesh of one of her butt cheeks.

She still didn't object.

"How does that feel?" I asked her.

"Really good," Durham purred.

We continued to make out as I continued to gently squeeze, giving each butt cheek equal attention.

Eventually, I decided to get even naughtier.

"Should I come around front?" I teased.

"Just stay at...my butt," she replied.

We continued what we were doing for two hours before it was time for me to go home. She kissed me good-bye, smiling.

It was a big move forward.

Or so I thought.

June 5, 0001

The next day, I texted Durham.

"I had a great time with you last night."

I texted that because I wanted to be a little more romantic. Maybe that would help a little as well.

A few moments later, I got a text back.

"I did, too," Durham replied. "But don't be all touchy/feely with me next time. I am not ready for that yet."

My heart sank; she had been uncomfortable that whole time and had neglected to tell me.

"Great advice, Cid," I muttered.

June 7, 0001

A couple of days later, after giving Durham a little space, I texted her to see how she was doing.

"Hey, babe! How've you been?"

Thirty seconds later, she texted me back.

"Don't call me babe, I'm not ready for that yet."

"This isn't good," I said to myself.

June 12, 0001

On our next date, we spent the time in Durham's room. We ended up watching _Burly Boy,_ and, of course, she cried.

Another nail in the coffin came when we were saying our goodbyes.

"Just a hug," she insisted, for some reason.

"Durham," I began.

"Tobin!" she shot me down in a firm tone of voice.

I texted her later that night if something was wrong.

"Just tired and cranky," she responded.

Somehow, that didn't ring true.

June 15, 0001

Three days later, I knew we were finished.

I spotted Durham in the cafeteria and greeted her with a hug.

In response, she pried my arms off of her and backed away to a neutral distance.

Then one of the nearby guys, Croydon to be exact, marched over to me and glared.

"Why did you hug my girlfriend?" he demanded.

I didn't even bother to claim her; I already knew what had happened. She had left me for him. Whether it was because I moved to fast or that she was seeing him behind my back the whole time, I'll never know.

All I could do was sadly walk away.

June 27, 0001

My birthday's June 27. It's one of those early summer days where it doesn't get dark until really late.

The good thing about it is that school's usually out by then. The bad thing about it is that I might be the youngest in my class.

So this particular birthday, I was turning sixteen. It wasn't very happy because the sting of Durham dumping me was still fresh.

I forgot to mention I was alone that evening. Cissnei was out on assignment, and Logan (just in case you forgot about him) had moved. I was really left to think about my life. I knew Cid's bad advice didn't help, but, hell, Durham was a little shady to begin with. I'll bet she had spent New Year's Eve with Croydon.

I really regretted letting my lust get the best of me. It was for that reason that I had chosen Durham over Aerith. Aerith would never had done such a thing.

And then, a knock sounded my door. I got up off of the couch and answered it, and-speak of the devil-was greeted by Aerith standing there.

"You're all by yourself?" she asked. "On your birthday?!"

"Durham and I broke up," I informed her.

"I know," Aerith continued. "And I really don't like how she treated you. You deserve better."

She then scanned me.

"You've lost weight," she observed.

"I know," I replied.

I got kind of depressed when Durham did her thing. That, and spending the rest of the school year seeing her with Croydon.

Not to mention, two days after she dumped me, she left a delightful post on social media about me: "Tobin is a disgusting human being. And disgusting people make me sick."

"How did you know it was my birthday?" I asked.

"Social media," Aerith replied. "I stalked you."

I laughed a bit. I really wasn't expecting her to come around now that she and Zack were dating.

"Come on," she said. "Let's go to the diner."

"Aren't you with Zack?"

Aerith nodded.

"I have a boyfriend," she said. "I'm not dead."

I nodded and followed her out of the apartment. Gehrig was waiting out in the hall, as was Zack, who gave me a pat on the back as we left.

So fuck Durham. It was really my friends who mattered. Seriously, don't ever downplay your friends, even next to a relationship. The former can outlive the latter.


	35. The Summer

Premonitions II: Crisis Core

Chapter 35: The Summer

July 7, 0001

The car sped down the motorway. It was midday, and the highway was mostly deserted. I was behind the wheel this time. Unlike Aerith, I wasn't the scared one; that was my passenger/driving instructor: Cissnei.

Yeah, once I turned sixteen, she was good enough to teach me to drive. And I drove her crazy.

"Tobin, slow down!" she demanded.

"I'm going the speed limit!" I insisted.

"You're going forty over!" she snapped.

"So?" I replied. "I'm learning!"

"I am a Turk," she reminded me. "I can arrest you!"

"For what?" I asked.

"Anything, technically!" she replied. "Please slow down!"

I did as I was told. If figured she would complain less if got off the motorway, so I took the nearest exit. Unfortunately, it didn't shut her up.

"You forgot to signal!" she reprimanded.

I sighed as I turned off the ramp. It was that moment I realized I had turned on red without stopping.

"You must have a death wish," she groaned.

I groaned in response. I was well aware she would be a backseat driver the entire time.

August 12, 0001

My parents sent me a check for my birthday, but I left it until the twelfth of August, as the Game Pyramid Three wasn't released until then.

I had mine reserved at Haverford Electronics since April. I promptly went there and picked mine up as soon as it became available. I picked it up, paid for it, and headed for the exit.

And then, I saw Durham glaring at me. I forgot to mention she worked there. Her dad owned and founded the chain, hence the name.

"Tobin," she demanded as she approached me, "what are you doing here?"

"I'm shopping," I replied as I presented the bag and receipt.

Durham was not impressed.

"I think you better leave," she insisted.

"Leave me alone," I retorted. "Just because you dumped me doesn't mean I can't shop here. I checked!"

Durham let out a sigh as she folded her arms.

"I got what I came for," I continued. "I'm on my way out."

"You better not come back here!" she snapped.

"No promises!" I dismissed.

Durham turned around and angrily stormed off.

Realizing that I no longer had any business there anyway, I turned and headed for the exit.

And then, I saw someone more pleasant I knew.

"Hey, Gehrig," I greeted.

"Hey, you!" she greeted back.

"What're you doing here?" I asked.

"Passing the time," she replied. "Mary Ellen sexiled me again."

"Oh," I said. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be," she insisted. "I'm used to it."

"Why does she do that to you?" I inquired.

"Because she's Mary Ellen," Gehrig answered. She then made eye contact with me. "You are right, you know," she said.

"About what?" I asked.

"You can still shop there, even if an employee dumped you," she clarified. "If she wanted to ban you, you would've had so sign something when she dumped you saying you couldn't be here. I'm assuming that didn't happen?"

I nodded.

"Chuckie Knox tried to pull the same kind of garbage on me at the drug store he worked at," she continued. "It didn't fly."

"Durham's got problems," I said.

"She's a bully," Gehrig added. "Didn't you see what she put on social media at the beginning of the year?"

I shook my head.

"It was a picture of Ronaldo surrounded by other classmates," she informed me. "But she photoshopped it to move them away from him and look like they were avoiding him on purpose, like he just farted or something, and put a caption below that read: 'Nobody Likes Ronaldo Ortega!'"

"Wow," I said.

"Listen," she continued, "are you doing anything this weekend?"

I shook my head.

"I have two rooms reserved at Gold Saucer," she said. "I was going to take Zack and Aerith, but I so happen to have four passes. Want to join us? It's one place Durham won't bother you."

This was almost too good to be true. I needed the break. It would cure the boring summer I was having so far, and it would get me away from Cissnei for a bit.

"Count me in!" I said enthusiastically.

August 15, 0001

5:00 p.m.

We arrived at Gold Saucer and checked into our rooms. Zack and I took a room on Main Street East, while Aerith and Gehrig took the room on Main Street West. After putting all our stuff away for the night, we decided to hit the rides.

Aerith was wearing a yellow summer dress that she looked really cute in, but Gehrig, who had decided to be a tee shirt and jeans girl that day, warned her that some of the rides would have to be avoided, as she would be suspended above park guests.

Our first stop was Speed Square. We found ourselves in line for a ride. Of all four of us, only Gehrig had been to Gold Saucer before, so she became our unofficial tour guide for the weekend.

"What is this?" I asked.

"It's a game," Gehrig replied.

"It looks more like a roller coaster," I observed.

"It's both," Gehrig corrected. "You get these little guns to shoot at things while the coaster's running."

"I've never been on a roller coaster before," Aerith said.

Gehrig displayed an evil grin.

"That will change today!" she announced.

We stood in line for nearly an hour before finally boarding the ride. Zack and Aerith sat in front, with Gehrig and I in back. We picked up the guns, which were made of plastic and lit up when you pulled the trigger.

"You know," Zack began as the coaster proceeded up the launch track, "I've never been on a roller coaster before, either. This isn't so bad."

"Brace yourself," Gehrig warned as the coaster reached the focal point of the track.

A moment later, the coaster shot down at full speed.

"Oh fuck!" Zack shouted at the top of his lungs as Aerith began to scream. "Oh fuck! Oh fuck! Oh fuuuuuuuuuuuuuck!"

"Watch that mouth!" Gehrig playfully reprimanded as we all pulled out our guns.

The targets were kind of lame. They were ghosts, stars, planes, and even alien ships. You were going so fast that you didn't even have time to aim. Zack, Aerith, and I kept missing out on our targets because it took too long to focus on them. Gehrig, meanwhile, was shooting mad left and right.

Predictably, Gehrig ended up with the highest score. Zack came in second, and Aerith came in third. Yours truly came in dead last.

As we were leaving Speed Square, we looked at the camera pictures. Zack's mouth was wide open. Aerith had a look on her face identical to a woman giving birth...at least like they show it on TV. But you wouldn't see me; Gehrig's hair was covering my face!

7:00 p.m

After we finished eating at what appeared to be some sort of medieval dungeon, we passed through a channel and found ourselves in a room with black and white tiles, as well as a purple carpet path. Said path led to a door with a skull above it that read "Challenger."

"What's this?" Aerith asked.

"Battle Square," Zack replied. "Beyond that sealed door's the battle arena."

"And a chance of a lifetime!" called a voice.

The four of us turned to see a black-haired body-builder wearing a red speedo approaching us. It was Dio, the park owner.

"Anyone who wins a fight tonight gets a free lifetime pass."

"If that's the case," began the skeptical Gehrig, "how come there's no line to enter?"

"Not a lot of brave folks around, I guess," Dio replied before turning and leaving.

"Ew!" Aerith groaned.

She wouldn't word it this way, but the reason she was disgusted was that Dio's speedo was riding up his ass crack.

"Is that any different from the thong you wore on your birthday?" Gehrig asked.

"Yeah, but I'm a girl!" Aerith replied.

Meanwhile, our First Class SOLDIER had a determined look on his face.

"I'm going for it," Zack suddenly announced.

Aerith, Gehrig, and I gasped in unison.

MINUTES LATER...

After entering, Zack followed the purple carpeting until it ended at the battle arena. Zack, being the smart and prepared one, had brought his sword. Anything can go wrong anywhere, you know.

The actual battle arena was a square plate, suspended over an abyss of purple flames by ten giant chains. Below there was a seal that read: "The Brave Do Not Fear The Grave."

Aerith, Gehrig, and I got front row seats. Aerith waved to Zack, and he waved back to her.

"I should've brought my cheer uniform," Aerith whispered.

And then, the lights went out.

Two spotlights appeared. One was on Zack's. The other was on the gate at the opposite side of the arena. Moments later, a giant leach-like creature emerged from the other side.

Aerith grabbed Gehrig's arm and squeezed it tightly.

Zack, meanwhile, immediately grabbed his sword.

"You've got to be kidding!" he shouted. "I've had worse than this!"

He easily sliced the creature in half and waved to Aerith, who let go of Gehrig's arm and breathed a sigh of relief.

That's when shit really hit the fan.

After not moving for several seconds, the creature fused itself back together.

"I didn't see that coming!" he muttered.

This time, he got smart. He sliced the creature in half once again, but then kicked the pieces over the ledge before they could recover. The creature disappeared into the flames.

MOMENTS LATER...

Aerith, Gehrig, and I were all waiting for him at the entrance.

"Don't ever do that again!" Aerith snapped as she threw her arms around him.

"I'll have to second that," Gehrig added.

"I won't have to!" Zack insisted. "Look what I got!"

He then proudly presented his lifetime pass, good for him and one guest.

"Yay!" Aerith exclaimed as she applauded.

"Maybe I want to take Tobin on a man date?" he suggested.

"Watch it!" Aerith playfully warned.

"Shall we continue exploring?" Zack suggested.

8:00 p.m.

So we continued exploring. The sun was down by now, and everything was lit up. Unfortunately, everything was also two hours away from closing for the night. If you're staying there, you have a curfew. You have to be in your room by ten. If you're caught outside after that, security guards take you away. I don't know what happens after that, but I've heard rumors that there's a prison below the park that you can never get out of.

So we game to the mouth of a channel, and stopped to analyze what beheld us.

A gondola was sitting on the track, and it looked only big enough for two people to fit into.

"Where are we?" Aerith asked.

"Round Square," Gehrig replied. "It's for couples only."

"Oh," Aerith said. "We'll move along, then."

"You're a couple," Gehrig pointed out.

"We wouldn't leave you guys behind," Aerith insisted.

"It's alright," Gehrig insisted. "Tobin and I are gamers. We can pass the time at Wonder Square."

She spoke the truth; I wanted to check out the arcades before they closed.

"Are you sure?" Aerith asked.

"We'll be fine," I told her.

"Meet is at Wonder Square," Gehrig instructed.

ON THE GONDOLA...

The door to the gondola slid open as Zack and Aerith embarked. There were two seats, only big enough for one person each, two feet apart from each other. This made the hardest part of the ride climbing in, but couples didn't care.

The gondola started moving slowly as Aerith smiled and placed her hand on Zack's; she had been hoping for some alone time between the two of them.

After a few seconds, their ears were greeted by the sound of something zipping by outside. They both turned to the window to see the roller coaster flying past them, the passengers screaming in delight.

"Oh," gasped Aerith. "How nice!"

As the gondola continued, the young couple could see a track that was made completely out of colored glass. Before they had time to consider what it was for, a herd of mounted chocobos raced by.

"It's so pretty," Aerith continued.

Fireworks then exploded, causing Aerith to jump for a moment. She squeezed Zack's hand briefly before relaxing. The fireworks were in all colors, something Aerith had never seen before due to her life in the slums.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" she said.

"You're beautiful," he complimented.

She squeezed his hands; it made her feel tingly inside whenever he complimented her like that. And yet, there was something she wanted to say to him. It had been on her mind for weeks, and now she felt like she had to say it, or she would burst.

"Zack," began Aerith, "can I tell you something?"

"Go ahead," he approved as he gently rubbed her hand with his thumb.

"It bothered me at first when I found out your were in SOLDIER," she began. "Ever since I was a little girl, I heard the stories. How they found war glorious and all that stuff."

Zack was silent. They were having such a perfect evening. He wondered why she would bring that up now.

"But, now," she continued. "I want to kick myself for believing that."

He immediately felt better. She was apologizing to him in the most romantic way she could.

"I was wrong the whole time," she admitted. "And you restored my faith in people."

He was particularly touched. He had had girlfriends before, but none of them had ever said something like that.

"Zack," she began as she leaned closer to him, "I feel safer with you more than anyone else. More than my mom, Gehrig, anyone."

And then, she pressed her lips against his.

As they continued to kiss, Zack pulled her closer.

Aerith suddenly felt herself lifting from her seat. And, before she knew it, she was on his lap.

Zack was running his hands up and down her back through her dress. Their tongues were meeting, and a spark ignited in them both.

Aerith ran her hands through his hair as she continued to kiss him. She didn't want to stop. The feeling of their lips and tongues together, coupled with her hands all over her back, was all too pleasurable.

But she had to stop because the tram stopped.

"Bummer!" she giggled as she climbed off his lap.

The two stepped off the gondola, finding themselves at the same station as before.

"Well..." Zack began.

"We need to find Tobin and Gehrig," Aerith informed him.

Zack nodded.

He then took her hand and led her through the channel.

Aerith noticed that, at the mouth of the channel, that they were not at Wonder Square; they were at Main Street East. She found this interesting, coupled with the fact that Zack seemed to be walking with such direction.

"Where are we going?" she asked.

"Short cut," Zack replied with a smile.

_This doesn't seem like a short cut,_ Aerith thought to herself.

Then, suddenly, Zack turned a sharp right, into a brick hallway. He then led her up a flight of stairs into another hallway, which was lined with doors. He stopped at one of them, and pulled a key out of his pocket.

"This is your room?" she asked.

"You got it," Zack replied as he unlocked the door. "They only give one key per room, and I'm the one who's got it."

With that, the door opened, and Zack led Aerith in. There was a parlor with a couch and TV beyond the door. Beyond the parlor was a dining area. And that was where he stopped.

"This doesn't seem like much of a short cut," Aerith giggled.

"Okay," Zack admitted. "You got me.

Aerith then placed her hand on her hip.

"What's the real reason you brought me here?" she asked.

"I want a little more time with you," Zack replied with a smile.

She smiled back.

"I think I'd like that," she agreed as she placed her hands on his cheeks and kissed him once more.

Zack pulled her in and wrapped his arms around her waist. As they continued to kiss, he pushed his tongue against hers.

Aerith began to kiss him more hungrily. She gripped his shoulders, almost squeezing them as they continued to kiss.

And then, he kissed her neck.

The signal shot through Aerith's mind; she had not forgotten what Gehrig had told her about the neck-kissing.

She had not forgotten what this meant.

Aerith quickly became nervous; it seemed as if the moment she had anticipated for nearly three months had arrived.

"Zack..." she began.

He silenced her with another kiss on her mouth.

_Maybe it was a false alarm,_ she thought.

And then, she felt his hand resting on her butt. This was definitely not a false alarm.

"Zack, we shouldn't," Aerith whimpered

In response, Zack kissed her more deeply, and gently squeezed her butt through her dress.

"Zack," she protested, "really, it's not a good-"

He silenced her with another kiss.

She badly wanted it. And yet, she thought of Gehrig and I, whom she felt she was neglecting. And she thought of what she feared.

She broke the kiss, and backed her face to a neutral distance.

"I don't want to get hurt," she continued. "Please don't hurt me."

"I won't ever hurt you," Zack assured her. "I promise."

They kissed again, running their hands over each other's upper torsos. And then, almost instinctively, Aerith found herself gripping the bottom of Zack's shirt.

"Take it off," he gently commanded.

Slowly, she lifted the shirt up, pulling it over his head and dropping it to the floor. She kissed him again, pressing her tongue against his harder than before. She kissed her way up and down his uncovered chest, running her hands over his bare back as she did so. She then returned to his level, and planted a kiss on his lips.

Zack kissed her back, and gently placed his hands on her shoulders, gently but firmly pressing down on the straps of her dress.

Aerith knew her dress was moments away from coming off. She nodded to him, giving him her approval.

Zack kissed her on the mouth once more. He then swiped both straps aside, causing the dress to fall to the ground, exposing her bra and panties.

Aerith's heart was racing as she stood before her boyfriend in her underwear. It was the most a guy had ever seen of her.

Smiling, Zack gently took Aerith's hands and placed them on his belt line.

Knowing exactly what was to come next, she unbuttoned and unzipped his pants, gently causing them to slide to the floor, leaving him in his boxers.

He then kissed her again, and began to run his hands over the skin of her back. He ran his finger tips up and down her spine, causing an incredible sensation. Then, without warning, he unhooked her bra and brushed the straps aside, causing it to join his pants on the ground, revealing her breasts.

Zack gently placed his hand on her exposed left breast and began to kiss her deeply.

Aerith wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him back, pulling herself close into him. The feeling of her bare breasts against his chest was overwhelming, and she kissed him but for a few moments before reaching below and practically yanking down his boxers.

In response, the naked Zack picked up the topless Aerith and carried her into the bedroom. He kissed her again after setting her down. He began to pull her panties off her body.

Aerith gasped at the realization that she was now completely nude. She had little time to take it in, as Zack planted another loving kiss on her mouth. Her continued to run his hands over her body, gently squeezing her now-bare bottom.

"Are you ready?" he whispered.

Aerith took both of his hands and squeezed them. She had though about this moment ever since she had learned the facts of life. She wanted to give up her virginity to someone special, someone who she trusted with her life.

And it was him.

"Yes," she replied. "I'm ready."

He picked her up once more and carried her to the bed.

MEANWHILE...

Gehrig and I had reached Wonder Square. We saw a staircase leading to the arcade floor and a whole group of people surrounding us. None of them were Aerith or Zack. We actually thought at first that they went on the gondola again. But, in any case, one of us spotted a couple of familiar faces.

"Isn't that Scarlet and Heidegger?" Gehrig asked, as she noticed the bearded man and blond woman walking into the channel that read "Event Square," hand in hand.

"It looks like it," I said.

"Are they on a date?" she asked.

"It looks like it," I repeated.

"I didn't even know they're a couple," she said.

"They're off-and-on," I explained. "They have a daughter together."

"And I thought the president was scandalous," Gehrig commented. "I babysat his son, once."

"Rufus?" I asked.

That didn't sound right. Rufus was older than us, and Lazard was older than that.

"No," she said. "His name's Evan Townshend. He must be twelve or thirteen by now."

As we approached the stairs, I caught another familiar face.

And he caught me.

"New girlfriend, I see," Cait Sith commented.

"She's not my-"

"We're just friends," Gehrig interrupted.

"Pity," Cait Sith lamented. "She is a cutie."

"Thanks," Gehrig said, seemingly not offended.

"Can I at least read your fortune?" the cat requested.

"That won't be necessary," Gehrig insisted. "I'm never dating again."

"There are more things in life to look forward to," Cait Sith pressed.

Gehrig giggled.

"Persistent little booger, aren't you?" she suggested. "Alright, you've talked me into it."

She paid him ten gil, whereupon that cat did another one of his silly dances. He then stopped, and a troubled look claimed his feline face.

"What is it?" I asked, feeling somewhat concerned.

"You're friend has a big heart," Cait Sith replied. "Maybe too big."

"That's it?" Gehrig asked.

Cait Sith nodded and hopped off.

"Hey!" she exclaimed, but it was too late. He was gone.

"Bastard," I muttered. "Money sucking, lying bastard."

"He's right," she corrected, with a sincere look on her face. "Maybe my heart's too big. I tolerate Mary Ellen, don't I?"

I nodded.

And then, something popped up in my head that had been there for a while. Somehow, I could no longer resist the urge to ask.

"Hey, um," I began, "mind if I ask you something?"

"Sure," Gehrig replied. "Ask away."

"Is there a reason you call her 'Mary Ellen?'"

"That's her name," she replied after a brief silence.

Of course, I meant as opposed to "mom."

"And I tolerate Aerie," she added.

This surprised me.

"I thought she was your best friend," I said.

"She is," Gehrig clarified. "And I love her like a sister. But her mission drains me sometimes."

"Her mission?" I asked.

"To be a wife and mother," she explained. "We're only sixteen. We're supposed to have fun."

"I hear."

"I just wonder what's going to happen senior year," Gehrig muttered. "Watch her demand a ring by spring."

Just then, Gehrig's phone began to ring.

"Yeah, Aerie!" she greeted.

"Zack and I just did it!" I heard Aerith announce over the phone.

Gehrig immediately got an embarrassed smile on her face.

"Shhh! Keep it down!" she reprimanded. "Before Tobin hears you!"

Too late. I already did.

"Or before Zack hears you telling me!" Gehrig added.

"He's getting ice," Aerith replied. "Gehrig, it was amazing!"

"I believe it," Gehrig said. "But can we talk about this later? Girls' night, maybe?"

"I'll hold you to it," Aerith replied before hanging up.

Gehrig sighed as she put her phone back in her jeans pocket. She then looked at me.

"You heard, didn't you?" she asked.

"I'm afraid so," I replied.

"I guess you now know she's an open person."

We stood in awkward silence for a few moments. Then, Gehrig glances at the stairs leading to the arcade floor.

"Up for a few games?" she asked.

MEANWHILE...

Aerith sat upright on the bed with her legs crossed like a pretzel, staring at the ceiling and taking in what had just happened. The lights were off, but her eyes had adjusted to her surroundings. It was truly a peaceful atmosphere. The room was dead silent. She could almost forget she was in the middle of the world's largest amusement park.

It was almost as placid as planting flowers in the church, but she was well aware that this was radically different. She was naked, and was also taking in the feeling of the bed against her bare skin. It was another sensation she was not used to.

She realized that her relationship with Zack would never be the same again. He had seen her breasts. They had both seen each other's private parts. They had had sex. She was no longer a virgin.

The fact that she was no longer a virgin was something she would be spending time taking in as well. She thought about what Gehrig had said, how it was an incredible experience.

She was right.

At that moment, Aerith heard the door to the suite open. A few seconds later, Zack appeared in the bedroom. He quickly pulled off his shirt and slipped off his pants, leaving himself as naked as his girlfriend.

"Come here," he said gently.

"Everything okay?" she asked.

Zack nodded.

Aerith got up off of the bed and walked up to Zack.

He immediately placed his hands on her shoulders and looked her sincerely in the eyes.

"I think I'm starting to fall in love with you," he said.

Aerith didn't respond right away. Her mind was full. They had only been together for a little over four months. Yes, they had just had sex, but the l-word...

"Don't rush into it," she finally replied. "Take your time, okay?"

Zack nodded, realizing that she was right.

"Can I give you a massage, then?" he asked.

Aerith's sincere look changed to a smile.

"I would like that, actually," she said as she placed her hands on his cheeks and kissed him.

A few moments later, the still-naked Aerith was laying on the bed on her stomach, as the still-naked Zack was rubbing her shoulders.

"Mmmmmm," she moaned; she had never had her shoulders rubbed, either.

Zack scanned her bare shoulders as he rubbed them, and then shifted his gaze toward her bare back. He realized how beautiful she really was, and how her body seemed perfect. It wasn't the reason he was dating her, but it made him feel all the luckier.

And then, he spotted Aerith's butt. It was her best feature of all, and Zack could no longer take his eyes off of it.

"Zack, this is so nice!" she purred.

He continued to rub her shoulders, but his eyes were where they were.

Meanwhile, Aerith began to feel her boyfriend staring at her naked backside.

"What are you looking at?" she playfully giggled.

"Um, nothing," he sheepishly replied as he quickly returned his gaze to her shoulders.

MEANWHILE...

Zack was right; we all have our fears. Gehrig's was being mugged, or something worse, while walking alone.

So I was good enough to walk her back to her and Aerith's room, as mine and Zack's was on the other side of the park.

"Thanks for walking me," Gehrig said when we got to her door. "I know I'm kind of paranoid about it all."

"No worries," I assured her.

Then, Gehrig got an annoyed look on her face.

"I might actually yell at her when I go in," she said. "I any case, she better let me know which bed not to pick."

She hugged me good-bye and disappeared into the door.

I turned around and began to walk back to the room I shared with Zack.

Sure enough, Gehrig yelled. But not at Aerith.

"TOBIN!" she called from the door.

I turned around to see her standing in the doorway. She had somewhat of a guilty look on her face, even though I knew she did nothing wrong.

"What's up?" I asked.

"Aerie and Zack aren't here," she said. "They're back at your and Zack's room."

I groaned inside. I suppose I should've seen it coming; it had to be one of the rooms.

"Seriously?" I asked.

She nodded.

"I'm sorry, bud, but I think you're sexiled."

"Great," I groaned.

Gehrig pulled out her phone and attempted to call Aerith, but she had since turned her phone off.

"Phone's off," she announced.

Now I was somewhat annoyed. I had to think of what I was going to do.

"I guess I'll head to the booking desk," I said, defeated.

Gehrig sighed.

At first, I thought she was annoyed with Aerith. But it turned out that she was somewhat annoyed with me.

"Do you have any idea how much the rooms are here?"

"What other choice do I have?" I asked.

And then, I realized what she was hinting at.

"Why don't you swallow your pride and ask?" Gehrig suggested. "Aerith is too busy being naked with Zack in your room to mind."

"It wouldn't be right of me," I lamely replied.

Gehrig sighed again and made eye-contact with me.

"Is it because I'm a girl?" she asked.

"Maybe," I replied. "Zack and I and you and Aerith were supposed to room together for a reason."

"Says the guy with the girl roommate," she continued.

"You wouldn't be uncomfortable?" I asked.

"Why would I be?" she asked. "It's just two friends making use of the facilities."

I gave her a look of defeat; Gehrig was the hardest person to argue with.

"Just get your butt in here!" she demanded.

Sighing, I followed her in, closing the door behind me.

The room was identical to Zack's, with a parlor, dining room, kitchen, and queen bed.

"You can put your stuff by the couch," Gehrig said. "It folds out. I'm sure there's an extra pillow and blanket somewhere around here."

"Thanks," I said.

It was kind of useless, though, since all my stuff was back in Zack and Aerith's love nest.

Gehrig noticed this, too.

"Damn," she muttered. "Sorry. I have to go to the bathroom. I'll check to see if there's free stuff for both of us in there. There usually is."

I nodded as she walked off. As weird and annoying as the situation was, I found it somewhat amusing. I did realize that I would probably never go through something like this again.

When Gehrig returned, she was wearing a white tank top and black pajama bottoms, and was barefoot. I wasn't surprised, since it was kind of late, but it seemed...different. I guess you could say it's a soft side of Gehrig I had never seen before.

"You're covered," she assured me. "They left free shampoo and soap for both of us."

"That's good," I said.

"Well, Tobin," she continued, "if it's not too late, want to see what's on?"

"Sure," I replied as I sat down on the couch.

"Tobin, Tobin, Tobin," she said as she sat down next to me and picked up the remote. "Who named you?"

"My mom," I replied. "My dad wanted to name me Leon."

"I like Tobin, better," she said with a smile.

Since she asked me, I figured that I might as well ask her.

"Who decided your first name would be Gehrig?" I asked.

"Nobody, actually," she replied. "Gehrig's actually my middle name."

"Really?" I asked. I never knew that.

"My real first name is Anna," she continued. "But I've been going by my middle name since first grade. There were two other Annas in my class."

Gehrig then clicked on the TV. All we saw was static.

"Hang on," she said as she stood up and walked up to the TV, peering behind. "Well, I'll be damned."

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"The wall output's been ripped out," she replied. "I mean, it's gone."

"Great," I said.

"No sweat," she continued. "There's another TV in the bedroom."

We went into the bedroom, where Gehrig sat on the bed and clicked the remote. This time, the TV worked.

"Hallelujah!" she sighed. She then turned to me. "You know, it's funny, but I never saw you in middle school."

"I didn't go," informed her. "I was homeschooled."

"Didn't the city of Midgar ban that?" she asked.

"Actually, I'm from a farm near Gongaga," I answered as I sat down in the nearby chair. It gave me a crappy view of the TV, but it was better than nothing.

"Oh, a farm boy?" she asked.

"You got it," I confirmed. "We had everything but goats and horses."

"I never would've guessed," she said. "I figured you'd always lived in Midgar.

"Have you?" I asked.

"No," Gehrig replied. "I was born in Kalm. But I've been in the city since I was four."

She then lowered her head and glanced at her toes, which, I noticed at that moment, were painted red.

"Do you want to know what happened with Chuckie Knox?" she suddenly asked.

"What happened?" I responded. That seemed out of the blue.

"Mary Ellen stole him," Gehrig replied sadly.

"She stole him?!" I asked.

She nodded.

"We were together for three months," she continued. "And the funny thing was that we had never met each other's parents. So, eventually, he introduced me to his. And I felt bad that he hadn't met mine. So I brought him over one night. Now, you'd think that, after three months, he would be committed enough not to let another woman get the best of him. But no. Mary Ellen called him up to check a leak in her bedroom ceiling." She paused. "If she wasn't too loud, I wouldn't have noticed. But that was the end of our relationship. I wouldn't talk to Mary Ellen for a week. I never saw Chuckie Knox ever again. And I haven't dated a guy in almost a year."

"But couldn't you find someone else?" I asked.

"What's the point?" Gehrig sighed. "I dated three more guys after that. Then I decide to be a good girl and introduce them to Mary Ellen, and, low and behold, Mary Ellen turns on her cougar charm. So I'm dumped again."

I was silent. I really felt bad for her. Gehrig was a nice girl, and certainly deserved better.

"And that's why you call her 'Mary Ellen' instead of 'mom?'" I asked.

"That's part of the reason, I guess," she replied. "I mean, she went into labor and gave birth to me, but ever since I was thirteen, she suddenly started treating me more like one of her girlfriends than her daughter."

I knew there was something more.

"But enough of my problems," she finally said.

"I don't have any problems," I insisted. "I'm free of those."

"No, you're not," Gehrig insisted. "You've been sexiled."

"If that's the worst thing that ever happens to me," I replied, "I'd be lucky."

Gehrig then took a long look at the position I was in.

"You're going to watch from there?" she asked me.

"I can see," I insisted.

In response, Gehrig patted the spot on the bed next to her.

"I won't bite," she insisted.

I stood up, realizing that this would be another "two friends making full use of the facilities" situation.

And I sat down next to her.

THE NEXT MORNING...

Zack was the first to stir. He felt himself awake, and remembered right away that he was in the hotel room. He felt the welcoming presence in front of him, and opened his eyes, eager to view it again.

There she was. She was laying on her side with her eyes closed, sound asleep, wearing nothing but her earrings, necklace, and bedsheet. The sheet stopped two inches above her waist, giving him an ample view of her breasts.

And then, her eyes slowly opened, revealing the green that made them beautiful.

"Hey!" she greeted with a smile.

The two instinctively kissed, with the sensation of their lips pressed together a welcoming moment for them both.

"How are you?" he asked.

"My boobs hurt," she groaned. "But I slept good."

He pulled her close and kissed her again, wrapping his arm around her bare waist as he did so.

And then, the smile faded from his face.

"I think I left Tobin stranded!" Zack realized out loud.

"Don't worry about it," she assured him. "I'm sure Gehrig let him sleep on the couch. She has a room just like this one."

"I'll buy him breakfast," he decided.

Aerith sat up and turned away from him, allowing her hair to run down her bare back.

"Don't you want to take a shower with your girlfriend first?" she asked sweetly.

She then stood up and stretched, giving him an intentional view of her exposed posterior.

"I think I'd like that," he replied.

"Then let's get clean and dirty at the same time!" she giggled as she began walking towards the bathroom.

Zack took an understandable look at her naked body walking across the room before joining her.

MEANWHILE...

I woke up at seven or eight in the morning. I was still sitting up, and, for some reason, my torso felt heavy.

Putting everything together, I realized that I was still at Gold Saucer. It was Sunday, and I realized that my sexile was still in effect.

And then, I realized why my torso was so heavy: Gehrig's head was pressed into it. She had fallen asleep on me.

I didn't really know what to make of that. Of course, neither of us had intended for that to happen. I wondered how embarrassed she would be upon waking up. That said, she looked so composed and peaceful that way.

At that moment, Ms. Cline awoke. She stirred for a few seconds before making eye-contact with me in surprise.

"Oops!" she giggled as she sat up and cracked her head. "Sorry!"

That said, she did not seem embarrassed.

"No worries," I assured her, without making eye contact.

"Somebody's embarrassed," Gehrig said as she stood up and stretched.

"Sorry," I said. "This really has never happened before."

She came around to face me, putting a hand on her hip.

"Didn't your girl roomie ever fall asleep next to you on the couch?"

I shook my head.

"She always goes into her bedroom and locks the door because she says she sleeps like a cartoon animal," I informed her.

"What does that mean?" asked Gehrig.

"God only knows," I replied.

"Well, it's something you can cross off your bucket list," she said with a smile as she patted me on the shoulder. "I won't tell anyone if you don't."

I nodded.

She then turned around and started walking toward the bathroom.

I still couldn't believe it; Gehrig had actually fallen asleep on me.

"I'm going to take a shower," she announced. When she reached the threshold to the bathroom, she turned her head towards me. "And don't try to peek!" she warned.

She closed the bathroom door.

I then heard the lock click.

THE STUFF THAT MIGHT HAVE GONE UNNOTICED...

The gondola ride Aerith goes on with Zack is very similar to the one she's supposed to go on with Cloud. Of course, in the original _Premonitions_, Cloud goes on the Gold Saucer date with Tifa instead of Aerith.

The room where Zack takes Aerith is the same room where Aerith and Cloud have sex for the first time in the original _Premonitions_, further cementing the parallels between Cloud and Zack.

Gehrig wears the same kind of pajamas Aerith wears in the original Premonitions, suggesting that Aerith takes after Gehrig in a similar way Zack takes after Angeal or Cloud takes after Zack.

I wonder if what Tobin said to Durham is true; I didn't bother to look that up (if you've been dumped by someone from a place if there's nothing that prevents you from being allowed to go back there). I think a lot of zoned communities have hardcore policies checking out dumped exes and fired former employees coming back.


	36. The Fall

Premonitions II: Crisis Core

Chapter 36: The Fall: Secrets, Body Bags, and Elopements

August 30, 0001

Things more or less returned to normal once the four of us returned home. Zack returned to the SOLDIER floor, often to see Lazard droning into his computer.

Aerith returned to cheer camp that Monday, but had her promised girls' night with Gehrig, which was of course held in Gehrig's kitchen.

"You didn't plan it, did you?" Gehrig asked.

"We made out on the gondola and it got him horny," Aerith replied. "But...wow, you were right. Doing it's amazing."

"Don't just stop there," Gehrig said. "Now you can feel free to be sexy for him."

"Like wearing a crop top on a date?" Aerith asked.

"That," Gehrig replied. "And letting him see some of your underwear, showing off some cleavage..."

"I don't have any low-cut tops," Aerith informed her.

"Then show him the other, hotter cleavage," Gehrig suggested.

"Other cleavage?"

In response, Gehrig stood up and smacked her behind through her jeans with both of her hands.

"Oh," Aerith realized.

Suddenly, Gehrig's face became serious.

"What's on your mind?" Aerith asked.

"Well, now that you've been naked with a guy," Gehrig began, "would you reconsider coming to Costa del Luna with me?"

"The nude beach?" Aerith replied. "I'm afraid not. I'm comfortable naked around Zack, and I'm okay changing in front of girls I know, but a whole bunch of strangers...hey, why don't you just go?"

"By myself?" Gehrig asked. "I don't feel safe doing that. Who wouldn't want to take advantage of a beautiful girl like me?"

"You could always take Mary Ellen," Aerith half-playfully suggested.

"No way!" Gehrig exclaimed. "She's my mom!"

"You could always find a boyfriend and take him," Aerith suggested.

"No thanks," Gehrig dismissed. "No more boyfriends as along as I'm alive."

"You don't think there's dating in heaven, do you?" Aerith asked.

Gehrig shrugged.

"Do you think there's sex in heaven?" Aerith asked.

"There better be sex in heaven!" Gehrig said.

Just then, Mary Ellen came downstairs and appeared in the kitchen, along with another young guy that neither girl had seen before.

Mary Ellen gave Gehrig an embarrassed look.

"You didn't hear us, did you?"

September 6, 0001

Junior year started right on schedule. Gehrig was in three of my classes, so I didn't feel as alone as I previously did. Ronaldo was in a couple as well, but he stayed away from Gehrig, to avoid any Mary Ellen-related awkwardness. On a sour note, Durham was in my chemistry class, but we were good enough to stay the hell away from each other.

September 6 was Gehrig's seventeenth birthday, but Aerith had to cheer at a game, so she, Zack, and I went to the game together, where Aerith would sometimes blow Zack kisses in the middle of a cheer.

We went to the diner afterward. In the background, I could see Croydon and Durham making out.

"Tobin," began Aerith, who was still in her cheer uniform, "don't let it get to you."

"I'm letting it get to me," Gehrig said. "What she did was disgusting."

Zack then turned to Aerith.

"I wish she would just turn to dust," he groaned.

I did feel some relief, knowing that Durham's actions were being met with serious disapproval.

October 25, 0001

"Aerith?" began Zack. "Are you alright?"

Aerith silently nodded.

He was on his back, she was on her stomach. Both of them were naked, as they had just been intimate. But now, it looked like she wanted to cry. In their months of dating, he had never seen her this sad.

"If it's about how they might cut cheerleading next year," he began, "it's just a rumor. Besides, you already got approved for figure skating."

Aerith didn't respond. She retained the same sad look.

"Look," he continued, "I'll still want to date you, regardless of what happens."

Aerith then looked him in the eyes.

"You might change your mind when I tell you something," she finally said.

"I won't," he promised.

He kissed her, pulled her close, and began to stroke her bare back.

And he wondered if this had anything to do with what Angeal had said.

October 31, 0001

I don't celebrate Halloween, because I grew up in bumblefuck, where I had no neighbors to get candy from. Instead, I stayed in. My building was for adults only, so I wasn't expecting anyone to come to my door.

I was sitting on the couch next to Cissnei, and watching whatever show was on. It was one of those nights where we were both off and just decided to stay in.

And then, there was a knock on the door.

"Kids aren't allowed here!" Cissnei groaned.

She got up off of the couch and opened the door. Then, she look down, and became very tense and quiet.

"Tobin," she began in a shaky voice. "Can you come here, please?"

I got up off the couch and joined her at the door, and saw what was troubling her. There was a body bag on the doorstep, and it was occupied.

Cissnei was shaking. As a Turk, she had probably seen dead bodies before, but never at her own home.

"W-who would put it here?" she stammered. "D-do you have any enemies?"

"Not really," I replied.

The only person I could think of was Durham, and how the hell would she get her hands on a dead body?

"This is freaky!" Cissnei protested.

And then, the body bag moved.

Cissnei shrieked and jumped backward, and clutched my arm.

The body bag jolted again.

"Oh my God!" Cissnei cried.

I knew exactly what to do. I bent down and pulled the zipper.

"Tobin, you're crazy," Cissnei commented.

A moment later, the dead body sprang up, giggling.

"Trick-or-treat!" Gehrig shouted with a grin.

She then hugged me before getting up on her feet. She turned her attention to the person she did manage to spook.

"And you must be Sarah?"

"Cissnei," she corrected as she folded her arms.

I found the whole thing hilarious. Cissnei did not.

"So what are you doing in on Halloween?" Gehrig asked.

"I grew up out in the middle of nowhere," I replied. "There were no neighbors, so I never celebrated."

"I was always too...busy as a child to celebrate," Cissnei added.

Gehrig put her hands on her hips.

"Neither of you have ever been trick-or-treating before?" she asked.

Cissnei and I both shook our heads in unison.

Gehrig gave us both one of her evil grins.

"Come with me," she commanded.

MEANWHILE...

Also staying in were Aerith and Zack, but maybe they had a more ligit reason to. Aerith had arrived at Zack's top floor apartment looking innocent, dressed in her white tank and striped skirt. He kissed her and picked her up off the ground. It was then that he noticed the grocery bag where she had been standing.

"I'm going to get into costume," Aerith announced with a smirk as she picked up the bag and walked right by Zack as if he wasn't there, heading straight for the bathroom and closing the door behind her.

Zack, confused, closed the front door and sat down on the couch, wondering what was going on.

And then, he heard the bathroom door open again. A moment later, Aerith appeared in front of him. She was wearing a pair of jeans, along with sandals, a bandana, and a pair of groovy colored glasses. She was topless.

"Happy Halloween!" she said as she pulled Zack off the couch and kissed him.

"So much for a selfie!" he laughed.

"How about one with my back?" Aerith suggested.

Zack attached his phone to a selfie stick as he and Aerith turned their backs to it. Both of them made the peace sign as he took the picture.

"This is such a good feeling!" Aerith exclaimed. "Maybe I should dress like this for the Halloween party?" she teased.

"If you want a decade of detention," replied.

"What's the big deal?" Aerith asked with a smile. "They're just boobs!"

Aerith cooked for Zack that night, remaining topless the whole time. After that, they were cuddled on the sofa. Aerith felt very safe with his arm around her, and yet...

_It's time to tell him,_ she thought. _I can't hold this off any longer._

She sat up and turned to face Zack, folding her legs like a pretzel.

"Zack," she began softly, "it's time."

Zack became troubled.

"Time for what?" he asked, although he had a feeling it was what she had hinted in bed earlier.

"Time I told you the truth about me," she said as she clutched his hands. "You need to know this if we're going to keep dating." She then closed her eyes, and lowered her head. "And if you don't want to keep dating me after I tell you, I'll understand."

_"Don't tell me she's a Genesis copy!"_ Zack remembered exclaiming.

_"You might wish she was,"_ he remembered Angeal warning him.

_Could it be that bad?_ he thought.

"My mom adopted me when I was seven," Aerith began. "My biological mom and I were on the run, and her heart actually burst from all the stress. She ended up dying at the train station. That's where Elmyra found me."

_That's it?_ Zack thought. _She barely told me anything I didn't already know._

Aerith then opened her eyes.

"My biological mother was Ifalna," she continued. "Do you know who that is?"

Zack worked for the Shinra. He was in SOLDIER. Of course he knew who that was.

"The Cetra that was captured by the Shinra," he softly replied.

"Which means I'm a Cetra, too," she said. "Technically, I'm an alien."

He would admit he didn't see it coming. But he also realized that she was the same girl she was yesterday. He found it even more surprising that the whole thing didn't matter too badly to him.

"You're more human than most people I know," Zack assured her. "Especially some of the folks at Shinra."

He then put his fingers to her chin, and gently raised her head. He looked her in the eyes.

"I'm not going anywhere," he assured her.

And he softly kissed her on her mouth.

Aerith smiled, gently stroking his face.

"I want to dance," she announced suddenly as pulled out her cell phone.

That's the thing about Aerith. She liked to giggle and have fun at the most inappropriate times.

A moment later, Jeri Lyons started playing, and Aerith got up off of the couch and started shaking her hips.

"Aren't you going to dance with your girlfriend?" she giggled as she pulled him up.

They danced together through the stupid bubblegum pop song. Thank God I wasn't there, even if I did miss out on seeing Aerith's tits.

At the end of the song, Aerith placed her hands on Zack's shoulders and looked him directly in the eyes. Hers were wet.

"My boobs are out and you're making eye-contact!" she said.

"I'm not dating you for your boobs," he replied. "I'm dating you for you."

Aerith nodded.

"And that's why..."

She stopped. She was nervous. She didn't want to be too forward, either.

"Why...?" Zack repeated.

She blushed, nearly embarrassed. She turned her bare back to him as she spotted a pen and notepad on the TV stand. She quickly wrote something on the notepad and gave it to Zack.

It read: "I want to say the three words, but I've never said them to a guy before. I've always been careful. I don't ever want to get hurt."

Zack knew exactly what she wanted to say.

"I'll never hurt you," he said. "I mean it. I'm not going anywhere."

Aerith nodded. She then greatly took both of his hands and looked him in the eyes.

"I love you," she whispered.

"I love you, too," Zack responded.

He kissed her and pulled her in for a hug.

She squeezed him back and planted multiple kisses on his face.

"You okay now?" he asked.

"Mostly," Aerith replied.

"Mostly?!" Zack inquired.

Aerith smiled.

"Well, we can't do it with out pants on, right?"

Aerith took up the courage to tell me the same thing a couple of days later.

Only with me she was wearing a shirt.

MEANWHILE...

Cissnei, Gehrig, and I were seated at the diner, each with full sacks of candy at our feet. We were all still in our costumes; Gehrig was a witch, Cissnei was a princess, and I was a werewolf.

"This was so fun!" Cissnei said happily.

"Second," I added. "Thanks for taking us."

"Don't mention it," Gehrig replied.

"I can't believe I spent my whole life missing that," Cissnei said quietly. "Actually, I can't believe how much I missed."

That comment left me curious. Cissnei was noticeably less dysfunctional than just about anyone else I knew. She didn't play head games (like Durham), act all arrogant (like Zack), played crude but hilarious pranks (like Gehrig), or try and have fun at inappropriate times (like Aerith).

Now that I realized it, I didn't know anything about her background. It sounded like it was quite different than anyone else's. I wondered what her parents were like. Or if she even had parents.

November 11, 0001

I cloaked myself one evening and spied on Zack on the soldier floor. He was in Lazard's office, awaiting assignment. Lazard was, like before, droning at his computer.

"Still no sign of Angeal?" Zack asked him.

Lazard shook his head without saying a word.

"You'll let me know if you do, right?" Zack then asked.

Lazard did not respond.

Feeling defeated, Zack walked out of the SOLDIER office.

He hadn't seen or heard from Angeal in seven months. He was almost wondering if he was still alive.

And then, Zack heard the tone. It was his email alert.

He pulled out his phone and checked the email.

"Another anonymous note hints at a secret treasure hidden in the marine caves," it read. "If it gets into the wrong hands, it may become a threat to Shinra's very existence. Though the claim is dubious, we should make sure."

Zack was suspicious, but decided not to bother Lazard any more.

LATER...

The marine cave could be accessed to the north of Costa del Sol. As the caves were under the ocean, the temperature was less than pleasant, but the walls naturally illuminated.

Zack encountered his fair share of nasties, and weird ones at that. These included bouncy orange balls that were rather hard to strike, and more green bat-like creatures. Slowly but surely, Zack made his way across the path, and eventually reached the box that presumably contained the treasure.

"I gave you the information on that item," announced a female voice. "Now, if you want it, leave behind a hundred gil."

There was, sure enough, Yuffie Kisaragi, standing next to a large rock she had been hiding behind.

"Whoa, I wasn't expecting that," Zack said. "But it's her again, just as I thought. She's always saying something about restoring Wutai. I can leave a hundred gil for that."

Of course, Zack didn't tell Lazard. The mission did not exist.

December 26, 0001

That December, Zack and Aerith spent their first Christmas together. They spent part of the day with Elmyra, and the rest with Zack's parents in Gongaga.

Gehrig, of course, spent hers with Mary Ellen. The next day, Gehrig was kind enough to invite me over, since I couldn't go home for Christmas. We mainly watched movies and had take out, but I'll skip to the interesting part. Obviously, that was when Mary Ellen butted in.

"My bedroom door's broken," she announced. "A screw fell out at the top."

She then, predictably, turned towards me.

"I have a screw driver," Mary Ellen continued, "but it's the top latch and I can't reach. Would you mind screwing it back in?"

_You mean, "would you mind screwing me?"_ Gehrig thought.

"No problem," I agreed.

I agreed because I didn't want to sound like a dick, if you'll pardon the pun. Gehrig gave me a troubled look as I began to follow Mary Ellen upstairs.

I gave her a "don't worry" wink.

Mary Ellen was, by all means, hot for a woman her age. But the fact that she was old enough to be my mother meant that she had no chance with me. No way and no how.

Anyway, she led me to her bedroom. Marks on the carpet suggested a stool had been there; she had unscrewed it on purpose. She just wanted to get me up here.

I duly climbed up on the stool and screwed the screw back in. Before I get anyone's hopes up, I'll tell you right now that's all I screwed up there.

I got down, and Mary Ellen made her move. She put her hands on my shoulders.

"You've been a really good friend to my Gehrig," Mary Ellen began.

"She's been good to me," I said as I gently tried to resist. "It's only fair."

"Want me to take your pants off?" she offered.

I was surprised. I knew she was a notorious cougar, but I never thought she'd move that fast.

"No thanks," I replied as I backed away.

In response, Mary Ellen lifted up her shirt and bra, exposing her breasts.

"Are you sure?" she asked seductively.

"Positive," I replied as I turned around and darted down the steps.

Mary Ellen didn't follow me; at least she knew that no meant no.

Gehrig was standing in the parlor.

"You heard?" I asked.

Gehrig nodded.

"I'm speechless," she replied. "You're the first boy who's ever resisted her."

"I didn't come to see her," I said.

Gehrig smiled, almost as if she wanted to cry. In a good way, of course.

Meanwhile, we could smell the odor of Mary Ellen smoking marijuana coming from the stairs.

December 31, 0001

Meanwhile, Aerith and Zack were spending New Year's at the latter's place. The TV was on, and at the moment they were at the part where they play that sad music and show pictures of everyone who died that year.

Suddenly, Aerith began to look into her phone in shock.

"What's wrong?" Zack inquired.

"She got married!" she exclaimed.

"Who?" he asked.

"Durham," she clarified. "Tobin's ex."

"Where?" Zack asked.

"At a chapel in Wall Market," she replied. "About an hour ago. Looks like she did it on a whim!"

"How old is she?"

"Eighteen," Aerith replied. "Unless, of course, she lied about her age." She paused. "Poor Tobin."

"He dodged a bullet," Zack suggested.

"His rebound time is over," she said. "One of the sophomores on the cheer squad likes him."

I found out, too, but I didn't really care. Zack was right; I dodged a bullet.

Durham duly dropped out of school, and I never saw her there again. And that ended the last chapter of my life with Durham. And good riddance.

January 1, 0002

The next day, I cloaked my self and went to the SOLDIER floor to find Zack staring out the window. His phone was to his ear, and I could hear the endless dial tone.

"Come on, pick up!" he muttered.

"Who are you trying to call?" asked the infantryman nearby.

"Sephiroth," Zack replied. "I haven't been able to reach him in ages.

"Haven't you heard?" asked the infantryman. "Mr. Sephiroth has shit himself inside the data room and hasn't come out. Handsets are prohibited in the data room, so there's not much you can do."

"Data room?" Zack asked.

"He is apparently researching the history of the Shinra Science Department," the infantryman explained.

And then, his phone rang.

"Is this Sephiroth?" Zack asked himself before checking the caller ID.

Not even close.

"Aerith, what's up?" he answered.

"Um, I wanted to ask...when will you make it for me?"

"Make what?" he began.

"The flower wagon," Aerith confirmed. "Did you forget?"

_Oh, shit!_

"No!" Zack quickly said. "Of course I didn't forget. Hold on, I'll be right there!"

He was able to leave pretty easily, as it was New Year's Day, and most employees were only coming in to fix odds and ends.

So off Zack went, out of the Shinra Building and through the streets. He ran, so I had to run to keep up with him.

I got in the elevator to the slums with him, and, I'll be damned, he noticed me...sort of.

"This elevator smells like Tobin's body spray," he said to himself.

He never did find out the bigger truth.

When we hit the slums, I realized he was heading for the church.

What Aerith always does there is beyond me. Her mom used to take her there every Sunday, but Aerith's religious beliefs are some odd pantheistic animism.

In any case, as he passed the market, he got an encounter seven months in the making.

Angeal landed behind him.

Zack could almost tell by his presence, and quickly spun around.

"Angeal?!" he exclaimed. "Where have you been?!"

"Apologies," Angeal replied, "but I am a busy man."

"Yeah, whatever," Zack said. "I haven't been able to contact Sephiroth either."

"Has something happened?" asked Angeal.

"Not really," Zack replied. "He's just been holed up in the data room, reading old reports and such."

"I see," said Angeal.

With that, he turned, and prepared to launch himself.

"Hey!" Zack protested. "No where are you off to? I just don't know with you these days!"

"Genesis and Hollander are in Modeoheim," Angeal replied.

"You came to tell me that?" Zack protested. "Are you actually working?"

"I'm still SOLDIER at heart, I suppose," Angeal answered. "I've informed Lazard as well. They'll come pick you up soon."

And then, off Angeal went.

Zack shrugged. There was so much on his plate, he had little time to consider what Angeal was up to. But in any case, Aerith was waiting for him. I would say hoes before bros, but Aerith was anything but. She was becoming a sexaholic fast, but at least she was exclusive.

He ran through the playground and made it to the church. He then began to climb the steps.

"Zack, I need you in Modeoheim," called a familiar voice.

"I know," Zack replied without turning around; he already knew it was Tseng. "Just give me a minute."

"Aerith isn't there," Tseng informed him.

And then, Zack did turn around.

"Problem?" Tseng continued.

"And how is it you know Aerith?" Zack inquired.

"It's complicated," Tseng replied as he folded his arms.

"Really," said Zack suspiciously.

"Did she tell you anything?" Tseng asked.

"Not a thing," Zack lied.

"Then...I won't, either," Tseng said.

I think he knew Zack was full of shit, but he certainly had more important things to worry about.

Suddenly, dirt began to fly, and a helicopter landed behind Tseng.

Zack groaned as he duly walked toward the chopper.

"Well, whatever, I guess," he muttered. "Whaaaatever."

He did not see the white feather blow away behind him.


	37. It's Ice!

Premonitions II: Crisis Core

Chapter 37: It's Ice!

January 1, 0002

She stood in the kitchen, pacing around the table. Every few seconds, she glanced nervously at her cell phone. No matter how many times she did it, nothing had changed.

"What's wrong, Aerie?" Gehrig asked.

"I can't reach Zack," Aerith replied nervously. "I keep texting him and he's not responding."

"Did you try calling him?" Gehrig suggested.

"His phone's going straight to voicemail," Aerith replied, "and when I text him, it says it's not received." She sighed. "I really hope he's not ghosting me."

"Why would he?"

"I told him," Aerith replied.

"What?" asked Gehrig.

"About me," Aerith clarified.

"When?"

"Halloween."

"He wouldn't wait that long to do it," Gehrig assured her. "Let me try Tobin," she said as she pulled out her cell. "He works at the Shinra Building. He'll know what's going on."

Gehrig called my number, but that went to voicemail too.

"Maybe it's the reception?" she suggested.

Aerith was somewhat relieved, it didn't seem personal.

"I was topless when I told him," she giggled. "And he still made eye-contact."

"I'm still sure he liked it," Gehrig said.

"I liked it," Aerith added. "It felt so...free."

"Ah, yes," sighed Gehrig. "I remember. That's one great thing you can do with a boyfriend. I spent four times over at Chuckie's house wearing just my pants and two times wearing just my shirt."

"Aerith Lee Gainsborough!" called Elmyra from upstairs. "Come here once."

"That doesn't sound good," Aerith sighed.

She duly climbed the stairs to find Elmyra standing in the doorway to her room. She was holding a hanger. Attached to it was a pink lacy top and a matching pair of panties.

"We need to talk about this," Elmyra said sternly.

Aerith's mouth dried. She was careful, very careful not to let her mom find out she was sexually active, but hiding something in a closet that Elmyra occasionally cleaned out would not prove a hundred percent effective.

"Mom..." Aerith began.

"I'll tell you right now," Elmyra continued, "these have to go."

Aerith was so embarrassed she wanted to cry. She wondered if her mom would ground her.

Elmyra then ripped the panties off the hook.

Aerith gave her a confused look.

"You don't want to block his entrance, do you?" Elmyra asked. "So lose the bottoms."

Aerith nearly gasped. _Is my mom actually giving me sex advice?_ she thought.

"Wait a minute," she began. "You're not mad?"

"Why would I be?" Elmyra asked. "It's a regular part of dating. Did you think I was that naive?"

Aerith began to sweat in relief as she shook her head.

"And you're already on the pill to manage your period," Elmyra continued. "So I'm not worried about you making babies. Just don't tease him like that. It's not fair."

A few minutes later, Aerith returned downstairs, still embarrassed but relieved. She could not believe her mom was cool with her having sex with her boyfriend. I was told to wait until I was married.

"Well," she began, "my mom knows we're-"

She then stopped dead.

Gehrig was looking into her cell phone with a look of horror on her face.

"A helicopter went down on the Northern Continent," she whispered. "Zack was reported on it. And Tobin might have been with him."

MEANWHILE...

Gehrig wasn't kidding. It was our pilot's fault, he was beyond exhausted and probably had the flu. He was the only fatality of the crash.

Zack didn't die, of course. He was flung from the helicopter and still didn't die.

"Well, that's a fine how-do-you-do!" he sighed as he helped himself up.

He then looked around, and saw no one else outside. All he saw was snow, and the mountains it covered. It was the Northern Continent for sure.

"Tseng!" he called. "Hey guys!"

Tseng didn't die either because he's, you know, Tseng.

He was behind Zack, along with two infantrymen. He quickly checked his phone, and got the results he expected.

"No signal out here," he announced.

"Well, at least we're in one piece," Zack said optimistically. "We'll be alright."

"Thankfully," Tseng said, "we have someone used to this terrain."

"Yeah, yeah," Zack sighed. "I'm a country boy."

"All right, then," Tseng announced. "We would've reached Modeoheim by now if we hadn't crashed. So we're going to need to make up for lost time."

"All right," Zack said. "Follow me, then!"

Zack led the way along the snowy path. He ended up fighting several giant, flightless birds. That's the thing about the Northern Continent; it's the most hostile place known to man. The creatures are bizarre. The weather is deadly. Worst of all, there's the eternal wind barrier. Anyone who touches that gets swept off their feet; the pressure would kill them instantly.

At one point, only one of the infantrymen was next to Zack.

"Yo!" Zack called. "Don't fall too far behind!" He then turned to the infantryman. "At least someone's keeping up!"

"Well, I'm a country boy, too," the infantryman replied.

"From where?" Zack asked.

"Nibelheim," the infantryman answered. "How about you?"

"Me?" asked Zack. "Gongaga."

The infantryman began cracking up.

"Hey, what's so funny about that?" Zack asked. "You know Gongaga?"

"No," the infantryman replied, "but it's such a backwater name."

"Ditto Nibelheim!" Zack retorted.

"Like you've been there!" said the infantryman.

"I haven't," replied Zack, "but there's a reactor there, right?"

The infantryman nodded.

"A mako reactor outside of Midgar usually means nothing else out there," Zack said.

Both Zack and the infantryman laughed in unison.

"Good news, Tseng!" called Zack as he turned toward the still-trailing Turk. "Me and-"

The infantryman removed his helmet. Zack swore he could've been his twin brother, only his hair was blond, and he was several inches shorter.

"Cloud," introduced the infantryman.

"Me and Cloud are both backwater experts," Zack announced. "Oh yeah!"

"Good," replied Tseng as he stopped for breath. "Carry on, then."

THE STUFF THAT MIGHT HAVE GONE UNNOTICED...

In the game, this is suggested to have immediately followed Zack meeting Aerith, but I decided to push it back for a while. I didn't want too many characters, and I basically wanted to write Durham out before reintroducing Cloud (last seen in Chapter 16). Also, there's the issue of Aerith comforting the crying Zack. In real life, that would end a relationship pretty quickly if it was that early on.


	38. More Ice

Premonitions II: Crisis Core

Chapter 38: More Ice

Zack and Cloud continued to lead the other two.

"Let's wait a bit," Zack said as Tseng and the other infantryman continued to straggle.

Cloud took a look at Zack. He then asked him a question that had been on his mind since he was fourteen.

"Hey, Zack," he began, "what's it like to be in SOLDIER?"

Zack folded his arms.

"I don't quite get the question," he replied.

Cloud was silent.

Zack realized he needed to answer somehow.

"Well, once you join, you'll know what it's like."

"If I can join, that is," Cloud sighed as he lowered his head.

"Don't sweat it!" Zack assured him. "If I can do it, you can do it, too!"

And then, Zack spotted something out of the corner of his eye.

It appeared to be a base of some kind.

Cautiously, Zack and Cloud bent down to examine it. They could see Genesis copies roaming the base left and right.

Meanwhile, the other two caught up with them.

"That's a mako excavation test site, Tseng explained.

"I'll go check it out," Zack volunteered as he stood up.

"Our primary objective is to investigate Modeoheim," Tseng objected. "We can't afford to lose people here." He then spotted what Zack had seen. "At the same time, we can't ignore the activities of the Genesis army. Therefore..."

"Infiltrate while avoiding combat?" Zack interrupted.

"Exactly," Tseng replied. "There's an entrance at the back of that warehouse. Once you're inside the facility, you can do as you like."

"You got it!" Zack assured him. "I'll prove to you that SOLDIER isn't all about muscle or brawn!" He then turned to his companion. "You watch carefully, too, Cloud."

Cloud nodded.

"In this blizzard," Tseng warned, "you're going to have to watch your body temperature. If you stand still for too long, your temperature will decrease rapidly. To get your body temperature back up, do your usual thing."

"My usual thing, huh?" Zack asked. "Yeah, I get it."

"SOLDIER operatives are amazing," Cloud said to himself. "I wonder if I have what it takes."

Zack descended the slope to the facility. Genesis copies attacked him quickly, and he killed them just as quickly.

"What did you train him with?" Cloud asked.

"Lazard picked him," Tseng replied. "And it just came naturally."

Meanwhile, Zack hid behind a wall. He did a couple of squats every now and then, to keep his body temperature up. He moved from location to location, hiding behind buildings and pipes.

Eventually, three Genesis copies did spot him. Zack quickly dispatched them before any of them could sound the alarm.

He soon made his way inside one of the buildings.

Inside the building, it looked like a typical industrial facility. Zack descended the stairs and soon encountered three Genesis copies, which he killed in one swipe.

As Zack reached the bottom of the stairs, he found an elevator. With nowhere else to go, he embarked, and the elevator began moving up. As he continued to ascend, he began to hear drama unfolding.

"What's the meaning of this?!" someone demanded. The voice almost sounded like Hollander's. "You need me Genesis, remember that. If you get rid of me, who's going to stop the degradation?"

At that moment, the elevator reached the top.

Zack saw what he had suspected: Genesis was threatening Hollander with a sword.

"The Jenova cells," Genesis continued.

Just then, the elevator gate opened, and Zack came charging out with his sword, knocking Genesis' from its position.

Hollander attempted to escape, but Cloud, who somehow snuck in as stealthily as Zack did, caught him.

"Cloud!" exclaimed Zack. "Good work!"

Unfortunately, he spoke too soon.

Hollander punched Cloud in the face, knocking him to the ground.

"But nobody knows where the Jenova cells are being kept!" Hollander shouted. "Not even Hojo knows! You'll never find it!"

"Then I shall willingly accept my fate," Genesis announced as he kept his sword aimed at Hollander. "But I'll take the world with me."

Genesis quickly struck at Zack, who defended himself with his sword.

Hollander saw his chance and made a run for it.

"Cloud, go!" ordered Zack.

Cloud nodded and pursued Hollander as Zack continued to fight for his life.

Genesis managed to knock Zack's sword from his hand, but Zack caught it quickly. Quickly, he jabbed at Genesis, wounding him in the shoulder.

"Dreams of the morrow hath the shattered soul," sighed Genesis. "Pride is lost, wings stripped away, the end is nigh."

And then, he collapsed to the ground.

"Such is the fate of a monster," he groaned."

"We are not monsters, you hear me?" Zack shouted. "We're SOLDER! Where's your honor?"

"Even the morrow is barren of promises," Genesis quoted as he rose to his feet. "Nothing shall forestall my return."

He slowly backed away, stumbling as he did so. He was clearly affected by his degradation.

"If this world seeks my destruction," Genesis said as he back up toward a ledge, ascending about a yard above the ground, "it goes with me."

With that, he disappeared over the ledge and into the abyss.

Zack ran to the ledge, but saw no sign of his opponent.

"Genesis," he whispered.

LATER...

Zack returned to the great outdoors to find himself alone.

"Tseng?" he said aloud as he looked at the deserted cliff. He then scanned the area. "Cloud's gone, too."

He then spotted a tunnel in the mountain.

"I guess this is the way to Modeoheim," he said to himself.

The other side of the tunnel proved him more or less correct. Modeoheim was a ghost town, with abandoned, decaying buildings and wildlife running rampant in the streets. All of the houses had missing walls, revealing nothing of importance inside.

The only exception to this was the bathhouse at the far end of town. Carefully, Zack stepped inside. The windows were filthy, and the walls were cracked.

Eventually, he reached the bath area. As he scanned the dirty window, he heard the flapping of wings. He quickly turned to see a winged quadruped bearing down on him. It had white wings and golden feathers, and appeared to have a mask that covered its eyes.

The creature shot a fireball from its mouth. Zack quickly dodged it, and drove his sword into the creature's chest, killing it.

As he examined the corpse, he saw what he had been half-expecting: the mask of Angeal.

"An Angeal monster," he said to himself as he stood up. "Is the real Angeal here, too?"

He then eyed a stairwell to a balcony within the room. He climbed up to see Cloud laying flat on his face.

"Hey!" Zack exclaimed as he ran over to him.

Cloud groaned slightly.

"Cloud!" Zack demanded. "Talk to me!"

Cloud slowly pulled himself up. He attempted to stand, but fell backwards.

"We're all right," he insisted.

Zack then spotted another familiar face sitting by the doorway.

"Tseng!" he exclaimed as he rushed to his aid.

"Down that way," Tseng groaned as he pointed to the doorway next to him. "You have to catch Hollander." He then made eye contact with him. "Angeal is waiting for you."

Zack, full of emotion, darted through the doorway. Sure enough, Tseng was correct.

Angeal's back was turned, and he was facing the old, boarded windows.

Zack cautiously approached him.

"It should've been me," Angeal said coldly. "I should've dealt with Genesis."

"Yeah?" questioned Zack. "Then why did you send me?"

"To prepare you," Angeal replied as he spun around and pointed his sword at him, "for your next fight."

"Have you lost it?" Zack demanded.

Angeal immediately struck at Zack, who barely dodged the buster sword.

"Someone's waiting for you, no?" Angeal taunted.

"Angeal," Zack pleaded as he drew his sword, "don't do this."

Angeal struck again, forcing Zack to defend himself with his sword.

"Very good, Angeal," Hollander complimented.

Both Angeal and Zack looked at him in unison, suspending their duel.

"It is time to exact vengeance for our family's suffering!"

"Family?!" Zack exclaimed.

"No!" Angeal retorted as he nearly knocked Zack to the ground. "My father is dead!"

"Fine," said Hollander calmly. "Then do it for your mother."

"My mother's shame made her take her own life," Angeal snapped.

I saw Zack flinch; he remembered the truth, and so did I, thus, I flinched myself.

"Shame?" questioned Hollander. "How terribly misguided! She should have been proud." He turned toward Angeal. "Proud that she was the namesake of our experiment. 'Project G, or, should I say, 'Project Gillian.'"

Angeal immediately grabbed Hollander by the collar.

"Don't say her name!" he shouted.

"Gillian," Hollander disregarded, "the woman implanted with Jenova cells. Genesis, who had her genes mapped onto him during the fetal stage."

Angeal gave him a look and released his grip.

"Yes, Genesis was a failure," Hollander continued. "I'll admit it. But, you, Angeal, were actually bred inside Gillian's body." He stepped back. "You," he continued as he looked toward the sky, "you are perfection."

Angeal immediately punched Hollander in the face, knocking him to the ground.

"Zack," he said, "I am perfect. A perfect monster." He turned to face him. "My cells can absorb genetic traits, and pass them along to others."

"A two-way conduit," groaned Hollander as he rose to his feet. "Jenova's power has passed on to you completely."

"Zack," began Angeal, "do you remember what I said? About our enemy being all that creates suffering?"

"Yeah," Zack replied. "But you're not one of them."

"But I created my own suffering," Angeal said. "Zack, let me show you."

Zack turned to Angeal.

"Stop it!" he pleaded. "You don't know what you're doing!"

Angeal raised his hand, and, seeming in response, four creatures fell from the sky.

"Damn!" shouted Hollander as he charged Angeal. "At least one sample."

Angeal predictably knocked Hollander to the ground. That prick never learned.

Zack, meanwhile, drew his sword, but all four creatures darted past him.

"Angeal!" he shouted, realizing who they were going for.

The creatures seemed to huddle him, and a strange, purple-white light began to glow.

Hollander ran as the glow began to expand, and the ground began to shake. Finally, there was a blinding flash of light.

When the flash was gone, Zack gasped in shock.

Angeal was no longer human. He now had four legs and two arms, with a giant trident in his right one and a spiked shield in his left. A gaping mouth with sharp teeth was coming out of his chest. He was mostly all black, except for three blue tails. His hair was now a yard high.

Angeal jabbed at Zack with the trident, barely missing him.

"Angeal!" Zack cried. "What happened to honor?"

Realizing he had no choice, Zack drew his sword.

The Angeal creature, despite its fearsome appearance, was easy for Zack to figure out. He surprisingly darted behind it and sliced off the three tails at once. As the creature howled in pain, he cut off its right hind leg, causing it to double on the ground. He then ran around again and drove his sword into the chest mouth, causing it to collapse and lie still.

Another flash of light occurred. When it subsided, Angeal had reverted to his original form.

His limbs were still there, but that no longer mattered. He was laying on his back, unable to get up. His face was pale, and his hair was gray.

Zack looked down on his friend in sadness. His heart was broken.

"Zack," gasped Angeal, "you have my thanks."

Zack knelt down, at a loss for words. He could not believe what had just happened.

And then, Angeal gathered his strength, and raised his buster sword.

"This is for you," he declared.

Zack looked down at Angeal, whose face now seemed even paler.

Angeal simply nodded in approval.

Zack gripped the sword. He was trying not to cry.

"Protect your honor," ordered Angeal. "Always."

He then lay his head down, and closed his eyes forever.

Zack remained crouched over the body for a few moments. He then stood up and held the sword to his face.

"Embrace your dreams," he remembered Angeal saying. "If you want to be a hero, you need to have dreams. And honor."

And then, despite the frozen climate, it began to rain.

HOURS LATER...

Aerith was sitting in the fetal position a yard to the left of the door as Zack came slowly trudging through the apartment. She gasped, and her heart skipped a beat; she had wondered if he was still alive.

Zack, meanwhile, saw her, and, even if it was for just a moment, forgot about the tragedy of the day. Just the sight of her made everything easier.

As soon as he was close enough, Zack pulled Aerith up, pressed his lips firmly against hers, and held her tight against him.

"I missed you!" he said.

"I was afraid you were never coming back!" she stammered as she squeezed him back and buried her head into his chest. "I heard your helicopter crashed!"

"It did," Zack gently replied. "We were stranded up by Modeoheim. No reception."

"Christ, you're freezing!" Aerith exclaimed. "Let's get you inside."

They went inside Zack's apartment. He was still upset about Angeal, and was wondering where to go from here, but he also realized that he needed to take a break from it all. Now was the time to spend with Aerith.

"Can I cook you something?" she asked. "Maybe some soup?"

"It was a rough day," Zack replied. "They fed us when we got back. I would've called you, but my phone was out of juice."

"Well, I have to warm you up somehow," she insisted.

"I'll be fine," Zack said.

Aerith, of course skeptical, pulled off his shirt before he could say anything.

"Are you sure?" she replied with a smile.

"Positi-" Zack began.

He was stopped by the sight of Aerith taking off her own shirt and tossing it aside. She then reached back and unhooked her bra.

"Body heat helps," she said as her smile became seductive.

She pushed her bra straps aside, causing her bra to fall to the ground and allowing her breasts to spring free. She then pressed her chest against his.

"Doesn't it?" she finished as she kissed him.

He felt the warmth of her body immediately.

"It sure does," he admitted as he kissed her again and stroked her bare back.

They remained in that position for a while, kissing and rubbing each other's backs. Then, Aerith, in true Aerith fashion, pulled out her cellphone, started playing what I'll assume was Jeri Lyons, and and started to dance. She backed several feet, giving Zack a view of her breasts.

"Look at me!" Aerith giggled. "I'm an island girl!" She then began to hula dance, etching closer and closer to Zack. She then turned around and began shaking her butt in his direction.

"Maybe I'll learn to twerk?" she suggested.

Zack slipped off her skirt and noticed that she wasn't wearing panties.

"Looks like someone had a plan," he said.

She stopped dancing, and turned to him, smiling and kissing him deeply one more time.

He then picked her up and carried her into the bedroom.

LATER...

Aerith lay relaxed in the bathtub, with her back resting on Zack's strong chest. She had perfectly positioned herself to where her cheeks were reachable by his lips, and where her breasts were visible above the water. His arms were gently wrapped around her midriff, giving her a sense of security she had feared she would never feel again.

And yet, she could feel a vibe of sadness. He didn't say anything, but she was in love with him; she could feel when he was upset.

They eventually got out of the tub and dried themselves off. The vibe continued, and Aerith finally decided to confront him once the towels were hung up.

She placed her hands on his shoulders and looked him in the eyes.

"You're hurting," she said. "I can tell. Zack, I'm your girlfriend. You can tell me when something's bothering you."

Zack placed his hands on her bare hips. He realized she was right.

"I lost Angeal," he said softly.

"He disappeared again?" Aerith asked. "I didn't know you found him."

Zack shook his head.

"He passed away," he clarified. "That's where I got that big-assed sword."

Aerith gasped.

"Zack," she began, "I'm so sorry."

"It is what it is," he said.

"Is there a funeral?" she asked.

Zack shook his head.

"He was denied. He's considered a traitor."

"That's terrible," Aerith said.

Moments later, the two lovers were walking slowly through the apartment in a side embrace, still naked and headed for the bedroom.

"I can stay the night with you if you want," she offered.

"I'd like that," he said.

"I just need to wear my tank to bed," she informed him. "Sleeping naked hurts my girls."

"That's fine," Zack assured her.

She led him to the bed, and sat down next to him, holding his hand.

"You can cry if you want, you know," she informed him. "It's okay."

"I don't think that will be necessary," Zack said.

"If you change your mind," Aerith said, "it's fine. Don't hold it back."

"I'll be alright," he said.

THE NEXT DAY...

But the next day was another story. The two of them were at the church. They were both sitting on the wooden floor.

"Hey Zack?" Aerith began. "The sky is closer in the city above, right?" She stood up. "Kinda scary, but the flowers might make it...maybe."

And then she noticed.

Zack was sitting with his legs folded like a pretzel, crying softly to himself.

It had finally hit him.

Aerith silently walked over to him, knelt down, and gently wrapped her arms around him.

"I love you," she softly whispered before kissing his cheek.

And I wanted to kick myself in the balls for turning her down.

THE DAY AFTER THAT...

I saw Zack sitting dejected on the soldier floor. I think he was still taking it all in. Angeal's death was announced, but, as he was seen as somewhat of a traitor, he was not given a lavish memorial.

Zack then took a long gaze at the buster sword that was now his. It was all he had left of Angeal. And then, he realized that Angeal would always be with him, as long as that sword was in his possession.

Standing up confidently, he put his sword away in a rather showman-like manner, even though nobody (except for me, and he didn't know that) was watching.

THE NEXT DAY...

Zack was reviewing infantryman. He seemed in much better shape, and looked ready to move forward.

As he passed Cloud, he placed his hand on his shoulder.

"So you want to be in SOLDIER?" he said to all the men. "Hang in there!"

He then continued to review the troops.

"So is everybody here now?"

"Sir!" they all shouted in unison.

"You're all rookies, right?" he asked them.

"Sir, yes sir!" they replied in unison.

"One of piece of advice...no, an order."

He then drew his sword, and tapped it to his face.

"Embrace your dreams."

The infantrymen were silent.

"And whatever happens, protect your SOLDIER honor! Got it?"

"Sir!"

"We're all coming back here alive, you hear me?"

He raised the buster sword to the sky.

"Let's go."

MEANWHILE...

Zack was not the only one who grieved for Angeal. He took his comfort in Aerith's arms. Others handled it differently.

Gehrig was sitting at the kitchen table, doing her homework, when she heard the door open.

"Here we go again," she whispered to herself.

A moment later, Mary Ellen appeared in the kitchen.

"Hey, mom," she greeted.

Mary Ellen quietly walked over to Gehrig and bent down toward her ear.

"The young man I brought home is grieving," she whispered. "He need special attention. He may stay the night."

Gehrig felt disgusted inside but nodded in agreement.

"Thank you," said Mary Ellen as she walked back toward the front door.

The next minute, she returned to the kitchen, and Gehrig's eyes widened. Sephiroth was with her. She promptly led him up the stairs.

Gehrig sighed and put her head down.

"Wow, mom," she whispered. "You've reached a new low."


	39. The Mystery of the Pink Carnation

Premonitions II: Crisis Core

Chapter 39: The Mystery of the Pink Carnation

February 7, 0002

Aerith had a figure skating competition on her seventeenth birthday, so Gehrig and I went with Elmyra to support her. We got front row seats at the arena, and Gehrig brought one of those expensive cameras with a detachable lens.

Zack wasn't with us; the recent AVALANCHE attack forced him to Junon. He had been gone for over a week, and Aerith didn't seem to object, but the vibe she was leaving suggested otherwise.

It certainly didn't show when Aerith came out onto the ice. She was dressed in a red costume studded in rhinestones, and I almost didn't recognize her in it. I might have mentioned that Aerith started figure skating because cheerleading was rumored to be getting cut. It wasn't, but I was amazed at how graceful she was on the ice. She did triple lutzes. She did triple axles. It was a side of Ms. Gainsborough that I had never seen before. Elmyra told me she used to figure skate as a child, but didn't pick it up again until last summer. She seemed to be born for it.

The judges agreed with me, and awarded Aerith first place. Afterward, Aerith had a picture taken of myself, her mother, and the trophy. Gehrig took the picture, which was why she wasn't in it, but the two girls took a selfie with Gehrig's cell phone right afterward.

Afterwards, Aerith changed into a tee shirt and jeans, and joined Gehrig and I at the diner. We bought her dinner, of course, and had the entire staff sing to her. She seemed happy, and, needless to say, kept telling the both of us how grateful she was.

But when it was just the three of us, Aerith became rather quiet. At first, we though she was just exhausted from the day.

And then, a tear fell from Aerith's eye. One tear turned into several. Soon, her eyes were bright red.

"What's wrong, Aerie?" asked Gehrig as she put her hand on her friend's shoulder.

"It was my biggest moment," she sobbed. "And he missed it."

Gehrig stroked her shoulder; there was nothing she could do to change it.

"At least you guys were there," Aerith continued to sob as she put one hand on Gehrig's and clutched mine with the other. "Sorry," she apologized. "I know we're here to have fun."

"Don't worry about it," Gehrig assured her. "We're here for you."

She finished crying soon afterward, but she was completely drained from her boyfriend not being there. We eventually took Aerith home, hugging her and making sure she was okay.

I then walked Gehrig home, as she was still afraid to walk by herself.

"Thanks again for walking me," she said.

"No worries," I assured her.

"I'm a little worried about Aerie and Zack, though," she admitted. "They seemed perfect until tonight."

"Do you think they'll break up?" I asked.

"I hope not," Gehrig replied. "But I've never seen Aerie this upset before. I think it's because she wants to settle down, and live a peaceful life, and it doesn't quite mix with Zack being called away. First Modeoheim, then Junon. Where to next? The Eternal Wind Barrier?"

Gehrig had a point. Aerith and Zack's honeymoon period seemed over. It would be interesting to see what played out.

February 14, 0002

Regardless of whoever dates Aerith, they would have the rotten luck of dealing with the fact that her birthday and Valentine's Day happened to be a week apart.

I went to school that day to find Aerith by her locker, wearing a red baby shirt and a pair of black leggings.

"Hey, Tobin!" she greeted.

"Hey yourself," I greeted back.

"I was on my way to class," she announced. "Walk with me?"

"Sure," I agreed.

This was odd. Aerith hadn't walked with me to class since she had started dating Zack. Either she suddenly remembered her non-Gehrig friends, or the blinders had come off.

On Valentine's Day at my school, you could buy a carnation to give to someone. Red meant you loved them. Pink meant you were interested. White meant you were a friend.

I bring this up because, when we passed my locker, we simultaneously spotted a pink one taped to it.

I stopped in my tracks; I did not see that coming.

"It looks like somebody likes you," Aerith giggled.

"I wonder who," I asked aloud.

"Beats me," she replied.

And then, out of the corner of my eye, I noticed a short-haired blond girl eyeing me. I put two and two together.

THAT AFTERNOON...

Zack returned to Midgar several days later. Despite the debacle regarding her birthday, Aerith still opted to spend Valentine's Day with Zack. She figured that their relationship might improve if they made it special.

"Do you think it's bossy of me to ask Zack to dress up for Valentine's Day?" Aerith asked Gehrig before class.

"Not really," Gehrig replied. "Especially after dissing you on your birthday. Did you ask him?"

Aerith shook her head.

"I wanted to check with you first," she said. "You do have more experience."

"I've never actually had a boyfriend on Valentine's Day," Gehrig said. "I wouldn't say it's bossy, but it's not what I would do."

"Wouldn't you want him to dress up?" Aerith asked.

Gehrig shook her head.

"What would you want him to be wearing, then?"

"I'd want him to be nude," she replied with a grin.

Aerith let out a naughty giggle.

"Dare I ask what you'd be wearing?" Aerith inquired.

"Red tee shirt and jeans," Gehrig answered.

Aerith gave her a look.

"I've kind of got a CFNM thing," Gehrig added.

"What's-"

"Clothed female, nude male," Gehrig interrupted. She then paused. "After dinner, I'd be in a tee shirt and undies if I'm not nude myself."

"I'm a little different," Aerith said. "I like to be the submissive one."

If I hadn't already mentioned, Aerith is the more traditional one, which is why she prefers girly activities and all. Gehrig, on the other hand, was practically ahead of her time.

"I got it," Gehrig suddenly said. "You said he lives on the top floor of an apartment building and nobody else lives on said floor?"

"Yeah, that's right," Aerith confirmed.

Gehrig got a grin on her face.

"Tonight, show up at his door," she commanded.

"Wearing what?" Aerith asked.

"A red bra and nothing else," Gehrig said. "Covering your lady parts with a heart-shaped box of chocolates."

Aerith began to feel tense inside, but not in a bad way. It seemed so naughty and...sexy. It would be the perfect way to enhance their relationship.

"I think I like this idea," she said with a grin.

THAT NIGHT...

It would follow through as planned.

Gehrig drove Aerith to Zack's apartment building. The latter was clothed in a lacy silk robe and sandals, wearing nothing but a red bra underneath. A heart-shaped box of chocolates was on her lap. She was somewhat nervous, not because of what Zack might think, but what others would think if they saw her on the street or in the hallway or elevator.

Fortunately, she got no stares in the five seconds she was outdoors. The elevator was in the lobby, and she and Gehrig had it all to themselves. Soon, they reached the top, and took the short walk down the hall.

"Well," said Gehrig, "we're here."

Aerith slowly slid off the sandals and handed them to her friend.

"He is home, right?" Gehrig asked in precaution.

"Oh, yeah," Aerith replied. "I texted him."

"Good," Gehrig said. "I'll stand by the elevator to make sure no one comes up here."

Aerith smiled and nodded.

"Thank you," she said.

Aerith then slipped off the robe and handed it to Gehrig. She didn't feel that uncomfortable disrobing in front of her, as she was like a sister, but the fact that Gehrig hugged her goodbye before she went to the elevator caused Aerith to cringe a bit.

Facing Zack's door wearing nothing but her bra and positioning the chocolates where she had planned to, Aerith knocked. She then stood in anticipation as she wondered how Zack would respond.

Moments later, Zack answered the door, and gasped to his girlfriend standing there, almost completely naked and smiling at him.

"Happy Valentine's Day!" Aerith giggled as she, while still holding the chocolates, wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him softly.

He then picked her up and carried her inside, still kissing her all the way.

MEANWHILE...

As it turned out, that short-haired blond girl who was eyeing me was Addie Drake. The fact that she was doing that when I noticed the pink carnation on my locker strongly implied she was the one who left it there.

I learned my lesson of playing it too slow the first time. I went up to her after school and asked her out on a date for the evening. She happily agreed, and we met at the diner in the evening. After about half an hour of a not-so-hot time, I stopped the date and told her she had to go.

"Talking about irritable bowel syndrome doesn't make sparks fly," I told her.

She did not take that well. As it turned out, she was "emotionally fragile," as Aerith put it later.

"I thought you were understanding, you shit!" she shouted as she stormed out of the diner, knocking over a table on the way out.

"There's a wrong time to talk about that," I said. "Look, I feel bad after you sent me the carnation and everything, but-"

"No, I didn't send you that fucking carnation!" she snapped. "It was probably Amory Harris. She has a crush on you. I was just hoping to get to you before she did. Unfortunately I did!"

She then smacked me in the face and stormed off.

I rubbed my cheek as she disappeared down the street. I had dodged a bullet, but the pain lingered.

A second later, a car pulled up, and I recognized the driver.

"Hey, you!" Gehrig greeted as she rolled down the window.

"Hey there!" I greeted back.

"Disaster date?" she asked.

"You could say that," I replied.

"At least let me drive you home," she offered. "It'll get you away from here."

"Thanks," I said as I opened the passenger door.

The lacy robe Aerith had been wearing was on the passenger's seat.

"What's with the robe?" I asked her.

"You don't really want to know," Gehrig replied. "Why'd she do that to you?"

"I think she likes me," I replied sarcastically.

"She smacks you in the face because she likes you?" Gehrig asked.

I shrugged.

"Listen," Gehrig continued. "Mary Ellen was a little frisky this morning and now I'm being sexiled. Wanna do something?"

"Sure," I replied.

MEANWHILE...

Zack and Aerith were sitting on the sofa. She was on his lap, and his arms were gently embraced around her lower torso. She was still in just her red bra; Zack wore nothing at the moment.

Aerith sighed. As difficult as the past week had been, she was happy to simply be in his arms. It was her first Valentine's Day with a boyfriend, and she wanted to make the most of it.

And then, Zack suddenly seemed like he had something on his mind.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"Nothing, really," he replied as he kissed her cheek from behind. "I was just wondering what you were going to wear home."

Aerith put her hand to her mouth and gasped slightly; she had completely forgotten that she had no other clothes with her!

"I guess I should've thought that through..."

MEANWHILE...

Gehrig and I were laying on our backs, on top of the clock in Sector Eight, right by the fountain. I liked it because it was a rather peaceful way for two friends to pass the time. Gehrig liked it because it's against the law.

"Think we'll get arrested?" I asked her.

"Definitely not," she dismissed. "I've been doing this since I was twelve." She then sighed, and became quiet. "Needless to say, Aerie and Zack are having their private Valentine's Day as we speak."

"So they're doing better?" I asked.

"I don't know," Gehrig replied. "They seem to be, but, like an elephant, a girl never forgets."

"It is his job," I pointed out. "He didn't exactly ask to go. Not to mention, he just lost his best friend."

"He can find another job," Gehrig said. "If my career was ruining my relationship, I'd change it."

I didn't want to argue; she was impossible to argue with anyway.

"What do you want to do after high school?" I asked her.

"Me?" she asked as she looked up at the stars. "Go to college in Midgar. Become a teacher. Coach softball at a high school. I don't think I'll be going anywhere." She paused. "How about you? Will you stay in Midgar after graduation?"

"No," I replied. "I'm going to train in Xing. It's part of Shinra's new stealth unit."

Gehrig was silent for a moment as fireflies began to glow around us.

"And what if it broke your friends' hearts when you left?"

I saw her point. I was attached to those three: Zack, Gehrig, and, of course, Aerith. The thought of leaving them behind when I went away to Xing saddened me.

"It would break my heart," I replied. "That's for sure."

The fireflies began to hover over us, still twinkling.

"Maybe they might come with you?" she suggested. "I'm sure someone who cared enough about you would follow you to Xing."

"Maybe you're right," I said. "Maybe you're right."

And at that moment, a shooting star raced across the sky.

March 30, 0002

Amory Harris was possibility #2. After what had happened with Addie Drake, I decided to talk to her for a week before asking her out. After said week went by without any cringe-worthy conversations, I invited her out for a date. As I had suspected she had given me the pink carnation, I got her a bouquet of pink carnations, with a tag reading "I know it was you, Amory."

Sadly, while my date with Addie Drake lasted thirty minutes, my date with Amory Harris lasted thirty seconds.

The moment she answered the door, her nose immediately became red, and she started sneezing and coughing. Soon, she retreated into her house and locked the door.

Highly allergic to flowers...

Obviously, she didn't send the carnation.

May 7, 0002

I found out about possibility #3 when Aerith walked up to me giggling.

"What's so funny?" I asked her.

"Tobin," she began through her giggles, "please don't take this the wrong way, but you'll never guess what one of the sophomores from the cheer squad said."

"What's that?" I asked her.

"Cale Yu said she wants you to be the father of her children," Aerith said.

"Really now?" I asked skeptically.

Aerith giggled and nodded.

"She was saying how wonderful you are, and how you're so smart and handsome, and show she wants her kids to take after you."

_Eureka!_ I thought. Cale Yu sent the pink carnation. There's no doubt in that now.

"I'll try her out," I announced.

The smile faded from Aerith's face.

"But, Tobin," she began.

"No worries," I assured her. "I know it sounds forward, but I can make sure I slow it down."

"But, Tobin!" she repeated.

"Trust me," I insisted. "It's still better than Durham's snail relationship.

Aerith then gave me one of those "don't say I didn't warn you" looks.

LATER...

I wasted no time, and sat right across from Cale at lunch that afternoon.

"Tobin!" Cale happily greeted.

"Hey, Cale!" I greeted back.

"You're eating with me?" she asked with a smile.

"If that's okay," I replied.

"That's beyond okay!" she confirmed. "I was just telling Aerith how wonderful you are."

"Thanks!" I said as I began to blush; Aerith certainly hadn't been kidding.

"I mean it," Cale continued. "You want to know something?"

"Tell me," I commanded.

"I want you to be the father of my children!" she replied with a giggle.

She was cutting right to the chase. I did get a little concerned that she might be desperate. Still, I was confident I could slow things down if they got too fast.

"Well," I said cautiously, "why don't we get to know each other a bit first."

"I already know enough about you. It's the one thing I've decided on," Cale continued. "We just haven't decided if we'd use my eggs or Brogan's."

_Wait a minute,_ I thought.

"Who's Brogan?" I asked her.

I realized right then and there that this wasn't what I thought it was.

"She's my girlfriend," Cale replied.

So yeah. She didn't like me that way; she just wanted my sperm.

I told Aerith about the whole thing on the way out of school, and, sure enough, she laughed her ass off.

June 12, 0002

On the ante-penultimate day of school (that's third-to-last, for the vocabularily challenged), Aerith came trotting up to me as if she was walking on air.

"What are you so happy about?" I asked.

"I'm cheer captain!" she announced enthusiastically.

She then threw her arms around me and giggled. She then backed up and looked me in the eye.

"You are going to come to all my games, aren't you?" Aerith asked me.

"Of course," I replied.

"Promise?" she asked hopefully.

Ronaldo, who was behind me, answered for me.

"Cross my heart, hope to die, stick a needle in my eye, spill my guts, sell my dick, turn my body to a...a...um..."

"Prick," I finished unenthusiastically for him.

And so ended my junior year. It wasn't a bad year. I didn't find a girlfriend, but I didn't get dumped, either. But there was one disappointment: I never did find out who gave me the pink carnation.

And then, something struck my mind.

Valentine's Day was a week after Aerith's birthday. This was when Zack missed her birthday/figure skating competition. She was beyond upset, and Aerith is not the type to get upset easily.

Gehrig and I were already considering the possibility that Aerith was losing interest in Zack.

And now I had to deal with the very real possibility that Aerith had sent me the carnation herself.

THE STUFF THAT MIGHT HAVE GONE UNNOTICED...

The "recent AVALANCHE attack" is, of course, the same one that occurs in _Before Crisis_, as both stories take place simultaneously.


	40. The Pool Party

Premonitions II: Crisis Core

Chapter 40: The Pool Party

June 23, 0002

Gehrig's parents separated in June of 0001 and divorced that July, with her father remarrying that August. He settled in Junon, and his new wife was knocked up already.

Gehrig and her dad kept in touch through social media, of course, but they had not seen each other since the wedding. It seemed like he was already forgetting about his old family in favor of his new one.

It was when Mary Ellen took weekend vacations by herself that the sting of it all really hit Gehrig. This particular time, she invited Zack, Aerith, and yours truly over to somewhat forget about her sorrows. So there we were, seated at the kitchen table in the Cline house, with nothing interesting going on above our heads.

"Seven!" Gehrig announced as she displayed the appropriate card.

Gehrig was the first to reach for the heavens, followed by Aerith. Zack and I didn't reach.

"You both have to!" Gehrig declared as Zack and I took a drink.

"Five," I then said as I drew a card. "Guys."

Zack and I took a drink again.

Aerith was the next to draw a card. "Four. What's four?"

"Touch the floor!" I replied as Zack, Gehrig, and I touched the floor in unison. Aerith, being the odd girl out, took a drink.

"My turn!" Zack announced as he drew a card. "Six. Chicks."

Aerith and Gehrig took a drink.

Gehrig was the next to draw a card. "Jack," she announced as we all held up three fingers. "Okay. Never have I ever been to a nude beach." She paused. "Unfortunately."

"This again," Aerith giggled.

"Well, you won't go with me," Gehrig giggled back.

"I'm way too nervous," Aerith dismissed.

"Why don't you start out topless, and then go all the way when you're comfortable?" Gehrig suggested.

"I'll go," Zack offered. I couldn't tell whether her was serious or not.

"You certainly will not!" Aerith playfully snapped. "I don't want other girls seeing your junk!"

"I tried," sighed Zack.

"You could always go with Mary Ellen," Aerith suggested.

"No thanks," Gehrig sighed. She then looked at the three of us. "You know, this game would probably be a lot more fun if we were drinking real alcohol."

The three of us nodded in unison.

"So why don't we all go in the pool instead?"

LATER...

We had stripped to our trunks and bikinis and settled in the pool. Immediately, we started playing another game. This one was a lot nastier. Here we had to say inappropriate words by letter.

"I'll start," Aerith volunteered. "Ass."

"Ass?!" Zack asked. "That's it?"

"Well," Aerith explained, "everyone has one."

I was also taken by surprise; Aerith really didn't swear that often.

"Booty," I said.

"That's the same thing!" Aerith protested. "Come on, something other than people's butts."

"Cunt," Zack said.

"Zack!" Aerith exclaimed.

"You said something other than people's butts!" he defended.

"Durham," Gehrig said.

I groaned. I was hoping never to hear that name again for a while.

"What?" asked Gehrig. "I can't stand her." She then turned to Aerith. "Your turn."

"Elevator," Aerith said.

"That's not NSFW!" Zack protested.

"Until we do it in one," Aerith retorted.

"Fuck," I said. "Well, who didn't see that coming."

"Genitals," Zack added.

"Humping," Gehrig said.

"Um...intimacy?" Aerith suggested.

"Lame!" Zack called.

"Jugs," I said.

"What is it with you guys and our boobs?" Aerith sighed. "Fat guys have them, too!"

"Knockers," Gehrig contributed. "I'll do a double. Latex."

Suddenly, a smirk appeared on Aerith's face.

"Mary Ellen," she said.

"Hey!" Gehrig protested.

"Who's that?" Zack asked.

"My mom!" she replied.

"Nipples," I said.

"Orgies," Zack contributed.

"Punani!" Gehrig shouted.

"What?!" Aerith exclaimed.

"It's what we have, dear," Gehrig informed her.

"Queef," said Aerith, causing the four of us to laugh in unison.

"Rump rubbing," I said.

"Sex," Zack said.

"Titties," Gehrig added.

"Undies," Aerith mentioned.

"Vagina," I announced.

"Pervert," Gehrig muttered in my direction.

"Whore," Zack said.

"X-rated movie," Gehrig added.

"Yes," Aerith said.

"That's not a dirty word," Zack dismissed.

"It is when we moan it," Gehrig retorted.

"Zipper," I lamely said.

"Okay," announced Gehrig, "now it's time for the memory test." She scanned us all before picking the victim. "Zack, you're up."

Zack cracked his knuckles.

"Ass, booty, cunt, Durham, elevator, fuck, genitals, humping, intimacy, jugs, knockers, latex...Mary Ellen, nipples, orgies, punami, queef, rump rubbing-"

And then, at that very moment, Zack's cell phone dinged. It was the ding he had set to alert him of any messages from the Shinra.

"Shit," he groaned.

He got out of the pool, dried his hands off, and checked the phone.

"I have to go," he announced as he dried the rest of himself off and put on his clothes.

Gehrig sighed as Aerith quickly swam to the edge of the pool and climbed out.

All I could see was a rear view of the red bikini-clad Aerith putting her hands on her hips and saying something to Zack. I couldn't hear what, but I could tell she was pissed.

"I'll make it up to you," I heard Zack say before hissing her on the cheek and hugging her.

She didn't hug back.

A moment later, Zack was gone, but Aerith remained frozen in her position.

And, to end the awkwardness, nature suddenly called.

"Mind if I go to the bathroom?" I asked.

"I'm not a teacher yet," Gehrig replied. "You don't need my permission to go to the bathroom."

I got out of the pool, dried myself off, and went into the bathroom, avoiding the agitated Aerith.

A few seconds later, I heard two female voices enter the house. It was obviously Aerith and Gehrig entering the house.

"This really pisses me off!" Aerith groaned.

"I know," replied Gehrig in empathy. "I was hoping this would stop."

"I don't know how much longer I can take this!" she sighed.

"Well," Gehrig tried to assure her, "it's only the second time in more than a year."

"What if he pulls this at our wedding? Or when I'm in labor?" Aerith sighed. "I trust him, but it don't trust his job."

"Is this the only reason you're thinking about breaking up with him?" Gehrig asked.

"I don't know," Aerith replied. "The sex is always good, but maybe I'm thinking with my vagina too much."

"Well," said Gehrig, "if you break up with him, do you have a plan B?"

"I might," she replied.

Which, of course, was me. The pink carnation would not leave my mind.

I stayed in the bathroom until the girls' voices were gone. I then did what I went in there to do, and returned to the pool. When I went outside again, the sky had gone from blue to orange. Gehrig had thrown a tee shirt on and was sitting in one of the lounger chairs. She was all by herself.

"Where's Aerith?" I asked.

"She went home," Gehrig replied.

I was silent. I figured the next thing I would hear was that she had broken up with Zack. I also figured that the next thing I would hear after that would be that Aerith was asking me out. I still hadn't forgotten the pink carnation that nobody but Aerith could have possibly sent.

"You know, there's an empty chair," Gehrig continued, pointing to the lounge chair next to her. "If you want, we can have some cider."

I sat down in the empty lounge chair as Gehrig poured me a glass.

"She's thinking about breaking up with him," she began. "She can't stand his job anymore."

"Sorry to hear that," I said as I took a sip.

"I kind of feel bad for him," she continued. "It's not like he wants to do it. But it's what SOLDIER demands."

I chuckled.

"Zack has a buddy named Cloud," I began. "He keeps trying to get into SOLDIER, but so far, he's just an infantryman. Maybe it's for the best."

"Sounds like Aerith should date this Cloud guy," Gehrig suggested. She then giggled. "Fat chance."

"Zack could always find another job," I suggested.

"An even fatter chance," she dismissed. "He's obsessed with being a hero."

"The heart wants what it wants," I suggested.

"You don't need to join SOLDIER to be a hero," Gehrig said. "My dad's my hero. God, I miss him."

"When are you seeing him again?" I asked.

"This Christmas," she replied. "I hope. Mary Ellen's making a big stink about it. This is the problem with relationships. They're practically radioactive."

"Now I see why you don't want to date anyone," I mentioned.

"You know," Gehrig began, "I'm really not saying 'absolutely not' to dating anymore. It's more like 'well, I dunno.' I haven't the foggiest how that might happen, but if a guy I like wanted to talk about it, I can sit down at least long enough to listen." She paused. "Maybe it's because Aerith has someone. Who knows. I'm just saying it's possible in theory, as it doesn't violate the known laws of physics. In practice, I'd really have to look at things in a whole new way."

We stayed out by the pool until it got dark. Eventually, as it got cold and we got goosebumps on our legs, we did decide to go inside.

Gehrig led me into the kitchen. She then began to stare out the window. She was thinking something for sure.

"What's on your mind?" I asked.

"Do you know why you can't ever step into the same river twice?" she replied.

I had heard the answer a million times.

"Because it's always moving," I said.

"And you're always growing," she added. "That's how I feel now. We'll all be adults next year. You have Xing waiting for you. Whether it's Zack or someone else, Aerith will be married for sure within the next couple of years, and she'll disappear into her nest and pop out a few kids." She paused, and sighed. "And I'll be all alone."

She then continued to stare out the window as I continued to look on. She did have a point. In the year and a half that I had known her, this was the most she had ever opened up. It seemed as if all reality was getting to her.

MEANWHILE...

This was the email that sent Zack on his way:

"I can't tell you my name, but I know something of interest to you. I'm not the same person as the sender of the last two anonymous messages, so don't worry. I heard there's a secret item somewhere inside some cave. If an anti-Shinra entity finds this, then stick a fork in Shinra; it's done! You really should find it before it's too late."

Zack wasn't stupid; he knew right away that Yuffie Kisaragi had sent the email. He also knew that he would get it from Lazard if he didn't follow through with it.

It turned out that this particular cave was somewhere between Banora and Mideel. The walls were tinted greener than the last cave he had visited. The cave, being down south, was full of mosquitoes. They became so pesky that Zack had to use materia to wipe them out.

Eventually, Zack came upon the treasure chest.

"I gave you the information on that item," a voice announced. "If you want it, leave behind a potion."

"That voice again," Zack sighed. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Yuffie hiding behind a rock. "Gotta give it to her; she's trying hard. I'm gonna have to act all grown-up here. I can leave a potion. No problem."

He left the potion and took the treasure.

"Yuffie," he sighed as he walked away. "I don't know how she manages to make her way into dangerous places like this."

TWO NIGHTS LATER...

I was sitting alone in my room when something struck my mind. It was what I overheard Aerith and Gehrig talking about when the former was venting about Zack.

Gehrig mentioned that she had wanted to try out a nude beach. I don't really know why; all I know is that Gehrig was the most free-spirited and colorful of the four of us. Maybe she wanted to avoid the tan lines, maybe she just wanted the experience. God only knows.

As I continued to sit there, I kind of wondered what would happen if I invited her to go to Costa del Luna with me. I had never been naked with a girl before (Durham skinny dipping was CMNF, remember?), and I realized this would be my chance. It would be a unique experience; two opposite-sex friends naked together in a non-sexual fashion. Of course, she might also be irked by the idea, and not want to talk to me anymore.

And, before I knew it, and maybe subconsciously, I pressed Gehrig's contact number on my phone. I then heard the dial tone.

I don't know why that happened. What I do know is that there would be no turning back at this point.

"Hey, Tobin!" she greeted.

"Hey!" I greeted back.

"How are you?" she then asked me.

"Not bad," I replied. "You?"

"I'm great!" she said. "Hey, thanks for staying the other day! I was kind of pissed that Aerith left."

"No problem," I said. I then found the perfect way to lead her into it. "Maybe we could take them to the Western Continent next time. Then they can't run off."

Gehrig laughed.

"That's a great idea!" she complimented.

"Didn't you say you wanted to go to the Western Continent anyway?"

"Oh yeah," Gehrig replied. "I did."

"It was something you wanted to see there?" I asked, hoping to fish it out of her.

"Refresh my memory," she asked.

My heart was starting to beat faster. Of course, I had to be careful; I couldn't sound eager. She needed to say it herself.

"Wasn't it one of the beaches you wanted to go to?"

That was as specific as I was willing to get.

"Oh, that's right, she replied. "Nude."

"Oh yeah," I said. "Costa del Luna."

I had gotten it out of her. Now came the invite. There was no way to flush that out of her. I just had to be blunt. It would just be a quick few seconds, and it would be over.

"So, Gehrig," I began, "I was actually thinking of going to Costa del Luna this weekend. Want to come with me?"

I got no response.

She was obviously irked, and I should've seen that coming. She probably now thought I was some scumbag just trying to get into her pants.

And then, I did get a response.

"You there?" she asked.

"I'm here," I replied in relief.

"Okay," she said. "I thought I heard you whisper something, but maybe it's the reception. Want to text instead?"

"No," I dismissed quickly. "That's okay."

I got ready to repeat the question. My heart was racing and my tongue was dry. I felt sweat on my forehead. I gathered my confidence and asked so I was definitely not whispering.

"I was just saying I was thinking about going to Costa del Luna this weekend," I repeated. "Want to come with me?"

"Yeah!" she affirmed enthusiastically.

I couldn't believe my years. She had actually said yes!

"You'd be comfortable going with me?" I asked. I was kind of surprised.

"Of course I would!" she replied. "You're my best guy friend!"

"Alright," I choked, not sure how to feel. "I'll see you this Saturday!"

It was then settled. I would indeed be seeing Gehrig Cline in all her naked glory. And she would be seeing me likewise.

This would be a serious test of our friendship, and, one way or another, it would never be the same again.

THE STUFF THAT MIGHT HAVE GONE UNNOTICED...

The game Zack, Aerith, Tobin, and Gehrig are playing is a real drinking game called Kings.

Gehrig's question about the river came from a proverb by the Greek philosopher Heraclitus.


	41. To The Beach

Premonitions II: Crisis Core

Chapter 41: To the Beach

June 26, 2002

"You're doing WHAT?" Aerith exclaimed. She was beyond appalled.

"Going to Costa del Luna with Tobin," Gehrig replied with a giggle.

Aerith was no doubt speechless; she found it quite hard to take in.

"When did you decide that?" she asked.

"Last night," answered Gehrig with a smiled. "And I'm really psyched about tomorrow!"

Aerith decided to ask the inevitable question.

"Are you...dating?"

"No!" Gehrig immediately answered. "But now I have someone to go with."

"He's a friend. You'll see his ding-a-ling," Aerith warned.

"It's not like I didn't know he had one," Gehrig replied.

"You're really serious about going naked there?" Aerith asked.

"I just got a bikini wax," Gehrig said. "I need my lady parts to look good, don't I?"

"That's the issue," Aerith said. "Tobin will see your vagina!"

Gehrig casually blew a raspberry.

"He'll see your butt!"

Gehrig blew another raspberry.

"We've seen each other's vaginas and butts when we changed after swim class."

"But we're girls!" Aerith protested.

"And we're platonic," Gehrig said. "Just like me and Tobin."

"Gehrig," Aerith said, "you're not going to be...doing it with Tobin, are you?"

"That's not the plan," Gehrig replied. "But if it happens, it happens."

At first, Aerith cringed inside. She couldn't believed her best friend was going to spend time naked with a guy she wasn't dating.

Gradually, Aerith became curious, and suddenly couldn't wait to hear how the day played out.

June 27, 0002

The sign read "BEYOND THIS POINT, YOU MAY ENCOUNTER NUDE BATHERS," but Gehrig and I stepped beyond it with the greatest of ease.

"Well," I began, "you've officially been to a nude beach."

"True, true," Gehrig replied. "Now to find a spot and live the experience."

We started looking for a spot to settle on. Sure enough, we began to encounter exactly what the sign warned us we would. It was funny; they were of all ages. I think the male/female ratio was two to one. They were all body shapes as well.

"Right here!" Gehrig announced as she picked a spot in the sand. She dropped our stuff and looked at me, smiling. She placed her hands near the zipper of the green capris she was wearing, preparing to take them off.

I stood still as a statue. I suddenly became uncomfortable. It was time to undress in front of Gehrig, and I began to get nervous. Nobody had seen me naked since is was five or six, and certainly no casual friend had ever. What really got to me was the fact that she would be watching me undress. It was fast becoming awkward.

"What's wrong?" Gehrig asked, sensing the vibe.

"N-nothing," I lamely lied.

Gehrig could see right through me.

"Are you uncomfortable?" she asked.

I realized I had to be honest.

"A little," I replied. "Mainly undressing in front of each other."

Gehrig removed her hands from her zipper.

"It's okay," she said, though I could tell she was disappointed. She bent down to gather our stuff; she was preparing to leave.

"Wait!" I interjected. "I have an idea."

"An idea?" she asked as she stood up again.

"Why don't we turn around and strip," I suggested. "And then, when we're naked, we'll tell each other when we're ready. Then, we'll count to three, and we'll turn around."

"That's a great idea!" Gehrig complimented. "I never would have thought of that." She then immediately began to turn around.

I did the same.

_Here it goes,_ I thought.

I took my shirt off, hearing a rustle. I heard another rustle behind me, and I knew right away it was Gehrig taking her shirt off as well.

_This is really happening._

I then heard the sound of snapping elastic behind me.

_Of course,_ I realized. _Gehrig's a girl; she has a bra to take off. So now I have a platonic female friend stand topless behind me, with her tits out, and having no problem whatsoever with me seeing them. This is amazing._

My thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a zipper being undone; it was Gehrig taking off her pants. Realizing that I couldn't keep her waiting, it quickly took of my own pants and boxers.

I was now standing outdoors, naked as the day I was born, with a female friend behind me, who was also probably naked by now. I began to sweat a little; we would be seeing each other momentarily. I wondered what she looked like. I wondered what she would think of me. I wondered what our friendship would be like after that day.

"Okay!" Gehrig shouted. "I'm ready!"

_Can't keep her waiting. Can't keep her waiting. Can't keep her waiting._

"M-me, too!" I replied.

"On the count of three!" she shouted.

This was it. She seemed more enthusiastic about it that I did.

"One," she began.

The countdown had begun. That was a naked girl's voice I was hearing.

"Two," I continued.

I really wondered what Gehrig was thinking. Was she was nervous as I was? Probably not.

"Three!" we said in unison. And we spun around.

I saw Gehrig smiling at me as she stood before me in all her naked glory. She immediately started laughing.

"We did it!" she announced.

I had a good view of her body; her knees, her breasts, and a sweet spot not on the list. But, what really stuck out, was the teeth of her smile.

She then began spreading the towel on the sand, singing softly to herself as she did so.

MEANWHILE...

Lazard was sitting at his desk when two familiar faces entered his office.

"Zack," Lazard greeted to the taller one. He then looked at the shorter, blond one. "He can't be in here. This facility is for SOLDIER members only."

"Cloud here fully intends to join," Zack insisted.

"He'll have to go through the official channels before we can test him," Lazard informed him.

"He tried going through the official channels," Zack bluntly explained. "He didn't make it."

"Then if they say no," Lazard replied, "I say no."

"Come on," Zack pleaded. "Ever since Angeal died, we've been short. Just give him a chance!"

Lazard adjusted his glasses. He then gave Cloud a long look; it was a look Zack had never seen him give before.

Zack was baffled by this. Lazard has seemed to have lost interest in everything in the past year. But the way he looked at Cloud...it seemed to Zack as if there was some connection between those two.

"I'll start with the psych exam," Lazard agreed. "But I'm not promising anything after that."

Zack sighed in relief.

"Thank you, sir!" Cloud said.

"Meanwhile," Lazard continued as he looked toward Zack, "don't you have somewhere to be?"

"Not that I know of," Zack replied.

"You may want to check your phone," Lazard suggested.

Zack did as he was told.

Sure enough, there was a new message. It read: "I can't tell you my name, but I know something of interest to you. This is the first anonymous message I ever sent, so don't sweat it. I heard there's a secret item somewhere in the plate interior. If an anti-Shinra entity got it, Shinra would be dead meat in a pressure cooker! I suggest you look for it before it's your head on the plate."

_Yuffie, again!_ he thought.

MEANWHILE...

"What a beautiful day!" Gehrig exclaimed as she was answered by the sound of seagulls kawing.

She was sitting up on the towel in front of me. Her dark brown hair was in a ponytail, and the sunshine seemed reflected on her bare back.

"Tell me about it," I replied.

There was no getting "used to it," I was naked with a girl. It was one hell of a unique experience.

"I can't believe I spent my whole life missing this!" she said.

"Same here," I said.

"Poor Aerie," Gehrig continued. "She really missed out."

"Maybe next time?" I suggested.

"I doubt it," she giggled.

I continued to check Gehrig out. I couldn't see below the small of her back from the way she was sitting, but I got a generous view of her bare shoulders and back. Truth be told, Gehrig was a beautiful girl.

"Let's try the ocean!" she suddenly announced as she began to stand up, giving me a view of her big, beautiful butt as she did so.

I stood up myself, mainly to avoid staring for too long.

She immediately began to trot down to the water.

I naturally followed her, trying to hide the fact I was checking her butt out.

Gehrig was the first to hit the water; she stepped to where the sand was wet from the waves touching it. A small wave crashed on the beach, covering her feet.

"It's cold," she observed.

I reached the wet sand and stood next to her.

"It's not that bad!" I playfully teased.

Then a bigger wave hit the sand, going up to our knees.

Gehrig screamed.

"It's freezing!" she yelled as grabbed my arm. Goosebumps began to appear all over her bare skin.

"Okay," I said, "I'll agree with you there."

Gehrig looked me in the eyes.

"I know there's a hot tub around her somewhere," she said. "Let's find it."

MEANWHILE...

Zack soon found himself between the plates of Sector Eight after climbing in through a manhole.

It was not nearly as filthy as he had expected. It was rather clean and well lit, with no nasty creatures this time, like in the caves.

The "fun" started when Zack found the treasure and opened it. A bright flash of light blinded him. When he came to, he seemed to be in some kind of simulator room. A golden behemoth, identical to the one he had previously encountered, was before him, ready to attack.

"Hey, wait a minute!" he exclaimed. "Are you serious?"

There was no answer.

"Run for it!" he shouted. "Yuffie, are you still with me?"

The simulation ended as soon as he reached a safe distance. Yuffie was nowhere to be seen.

"This girl is going to be the death of me," he sighed.

MEANWHILE...

We found the hot tub near the restaurant. Nobody was using it, and it was sorely tempting.

Gehrig, as soon as she saw it, fast-walked down to the tub and climbed in.

"Ohh!" she sighed as she sat down. "This feels good!" The then took a look at me, as I was still standing outside. "Well, don't be anti-social!" she playfully scolded.

I climbed into the hot tub and sat down next to her.

"We have the whole tub to ourselves," Gehrig exclaimed as she stretched her bare arms and folded them behind her head.

That didn't stay true for long. One by one, a nudist joined us in the tub and it soon became overtly crowded. As they were mainly men who looked fifty and up, I frankly wanted to leave.

It was then that Gehrig stood up. At first, I thought she was thinking the same thing I was. Then, she shimmied over in front of me, allowing me to briefly admire her bare butt again. Then, she began to lower herself. And, before I realized it, she was sitting on my lap.

"Gotta make room somehow," she said with a smile.

I would get too explicit in describing what I was feeling at the moment, but you can probably guess with the greatest of ease.

Gehrig, meanwhile, simply made casual conversation with the middle-aged men as she would in any given day. I was almost starting to wonder if she had forgotten she was naked.

"Your boyfriend's lucky," one of them eventually said.

"He's not my boyfriend," Gehrig quickly dismissed. "He's my best friend."

I could not believe my ears. I thought Aerith was her best friend. It really touched me inside.

Eventually, the time came to get out of the tub. Gehrig gave the cue.

"My butt hurts," she complained.

We then got out of the tub and stood in the sun, allowing it to dry us off.

I still had what she said on my mind. Either I did something great, or Aerith really screwed up.

"What's up?" Gehrig asked as the sun dried her bare shoulders.

"You called me your best friend," I replied.

"Well, you are!" she confirmed. "I mean, I have three. Aerie, Mary Ellen, and you."

Okay, so it wasn't as exclusive as I had thought, but the fact that she ranked me up there...

"Don't be so shocked," she continued. "You deserve it. Especially after walking paranoid me home all the time, and sticking around after Aerie gets pissed and goes home."

"Well..." I began to say, but I couldn't think of anything after that. I was too happy.

"That's why I was comfortable coming here with you," she said. "I wouldn't be okay naked in front of Zack, and sure as hell not in front of Ronaldo. And, that's why you're one of the few people who knows that my real first name is Anna."

"I do like Anna," I pointed out.

Gehrig smiled.

"Then you're welcome to call me Anna," she permitted.

And she hugged me.

I suppose I could mention how I felt about her bare chest against mine, but I won't.

Her calling me her best friend meant a lot more.

MEANWHILE...

Zack returned to the SOLDIER floor to see Cloud standing in front of Lazard's desk, with his head lowered in defeat.

_This can't be good,_ Zack thought to himself.

"What happened?" he asked. It was a dumb question, but he asked it just the same.

"Your friend failed the psych exam by one point," Lazard replied. "I'm sorry."

"So that's it?" Cloud quietly asked.

Lazard nodded solemnly.

"Angeal and Genesis passed the psych test and look what happened to them!" Zack protested.

"I'm all too aware," Lazard said.

"But I have to join SOLDIER!" Cloud protested.

"You have to?" Lazard asked calmly. "Why?"

"I let someone down!" Cloud replied. "And I have to prove myself to her."

Lazard chuckled somewhat.

"There's other ways to impress a girl than joining SOLDIER," he said.

"Lazard, please," Zack pleaded. "This is a favor I'm asking. I have been chasing around a prepubescent thief all year."

Lazard sighed.

"There's only one more option," he said. "The mako test. And I'll have to talk with the president himself."

"The mako test?" asked Cloud.

"You'll be injected with mako energy directly," Lazard explained. "It'll feel like your insides are on fire. There's also a risk of mako poisoning."

"I'll take that chance," Cloud agreed. "When can we get started?"

"Sometime soon," Lazard replied. "Assuming the president approves."

Cloud displayed a hopeful look.

Zack displayed a concerned one.

MEANWHILE...

Gehrig and I were seated across from each other at a picnic table near the restaurant, eating pieces of cantaloupe and watermelon.

She was talking to me and smiling and making hand gestures as she did so, as if she didn't have her tits out. Hell, they were out pretty well, and it almost seemed as if she was trying to get me to look.

"So Zack and Aerie seem to be doing better," she announced.

"That's good," I replied.

You know how I really felt about that. I wondered if it was time to tell Gehrig about the pink carnation.

"I do know Aerie told you about her," she continued.

"What about her?" I asked.

"That she's a Cetra," Gehrig clarified. "She thinks highly of you, too. She almost never lets anyone know that."

"Really?" I asked. "I thought she would be telling everyone and become a practical celebrity.

Gehrig shook her head.

"It's not as grand as it looks," she said.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Ever notice how Turks are always stalking her?" she asked.

I nodded.

"They want to take her away," Gehrig said.

"Where?"

"To their lab," she clarified. "To do experiments."

"Really?"

She nodded.

"One time, she was out of school for a week. We all thought she had the flu. I later found out she was captured. And she wouldn't let me tell anyone else."

"How did she escape?" I asked.

"They let her go," she replied.

"They learned everything?"

"The reason they let Aerie go," Gehrig continued, "is because they harvested her eggs."

"So they could...breed her?" I asked. This was getting bizarre.

"You know Reeve?" she asked.

I nodded.

"You know he's gay and has a husband, right?"

I nodded again.

"Reeve secretly freed Aerie in exchange for several eggs," she continued. "Reeve's sperm and Aerie's egg are what created Reeve's daughter, Sage."

I was speechless. This would technically mean that Aerith is a mother. Wow.

"Yes," Gehrig interrupted. "Aerie has a daughter. That is, in the biological sense. But she never went into labor or gave birth or anything. But she's five or six now and has her eyes and hair."

It was a lot to take in. Aerith...a mother. Sort of. She had been through so much, and still tried to be a typical teenager as much as possible.

And she wanted to date me.

Which reminded me...it probably was a good idea to tell Gehrig about the carnation. Maybe she would know a little more.

"If I tell you something," I began, "can you promise it won't leave this table.

Gehrig raised her right hand.

"Scout's honor," she promised.

"Aerith sent me a pink carnation on Valentine's Day," I informed her.

"Really now?" she asked, somewhat skeptically.

"I found it taped to my locker," I continued.

"Are you sure it was Aerie?" she inquired.

"I ruled out anyone else over the months," I replied. "I don't know it for a fact, but I'm sure as I'm sure of anything else." I paused. "This was right after she got upset on her birthday."

Gehrig smiled. She then put her hands to her mouth and started giggling.

"What's so funny?" I asked.

"Silly," she replied through her giggles, "Aerie didn't send you that carnation."

"You don't think so?" I asked.

"I know she didn't," she replied. "She and Zack might have been having problems, but Aerie wouldn't start flirting with other guys until she was single again."

"Oh," I said. "I see."

_But if Aerith didn't sent the carnation...than who?_

MEANWHILE...

Zack was sitting in the church as Aerith tended to the flowers.

"You're quiet," she noticed aloud.

"I know," he replied. "It's been an...interesting day."

"What happened?" she asked as she got up and walked over to him.

"I tried to push Lazard to get a friend into SOLDIER," Zack answered.

"You're not in trouble, are you?" she asked.

He shook his head.

"No, but he is."

"Your friend?" Aerith asked.

Zack nodded.

"He failed the psych exam, so Lazard's trying to talk his CEO daddy into allowing a mako injection."

"Is that bad?" she asked.

"Well," Zack replied, "he'll feel like hell, and he could suffer mako poisoning, go into a coma, or even die."

"Yeah," said Aerith. "That's bad. Did you try to talk him out of it?"

"I did," he answered, "but he's too stubborn. He's trying to impress a girl back home."

Aerith sat down next to him.

"I'm not ready to lose another friend," Zack sighed. "The pain of losing Angeal's still there."

Aerith softly wrapped her arms around him and began to rock him.

"I'm one friend you won't lose," she whispered before kissing him. "Not ever."

MEANWHILE...

Gehrig and I were laying on our stomachs on our towels, listening to the sounds of the waves crashing on the beach, and the sounds of seagulls above.

Gehrig had a big smile on her face.

"Thanks," she said.

"For what?" I asked.

"For this," she clarified. "This was such a great idea."

"Want to do this again sometime?" I asked.

"You bet," she replied.

I turned over to lay on my back, allowing myself a decent view of Gehrig's butt. It was funny how composed she was at this point. I don't know whether she knew I was looking or not, but she obviously didn't care. Hell, was probably looking at me when she could.

In fact, right after I turned over, Gehrig reached out her arm and rested it across my chest.

"So," she began, "what do you want to do the rest of the summer?"

"Good question," I replied. "We've got two whole months."

"I'd kind of like to see my dad," she said. "Maybe we can try to sneak a visit in?"

"I think that's possible," I said. "We'll find a way to distract Mary Ellen."

"I really miss him," Gehrig continued. "I can't belief I'm going to be a sister."

I was silent. I never realized until now how much she was hurting from her father being absent.

"This weather, though," she continued. "It makes me feel really bad for my cousin on the Northern Continent."

She then got up and positioned herself on her knees. She took a drink from her water bottle, and smiled at me.

"You look so peaceful like that," she observed.

And then, it popped in my head. I figured I may as well ask. It had been burning in my mind for hours.

"Gehrig?" I began as I sat up and made eye contact with her.

"That's my name," she answered.

"Can I asked you something?" I requested.

"Sure," she permitted. "Ask away."

"You didn't give me the pink carnation, did you?" I recall asking.

"No," replied Gehrig as she shook her head. She then looked me dead in the eyes. "Question mark."

"Excuse me?" I responded. That was the weirdest answer I ever heard.

Gehrig placed her hands on her knees.

"I said I didn't give you the pink carnation," she denied. "Question mark."

I don't know a lot. But I knew that meant "yes, I did."

"When did you...decide on that?" I asked.

"When I found out that you were able to resist Mary Ellen's charm," she replied. "Period."

So there I had it; it was Gehrig the whole time. She was open to dating me because she knew she wouldn't lose me to her mother.

I took another look at the beautiful naked girl kneeling beside me, only this time with the realization that she liked me.

LATER...

June 28, 0002

"You actually went there?!" Aerith exclaimed.

Gehrig nodded.

"With Tobin," she said.

Aerith gasped.

"Did you go naked?!"

"Yes, I did," Gehrig replied with a grin.

"Did he?"

"Yes, he did," Gehrig replied with an even wider grin.

"Did he get horny?"

Gehrig nodded.

"I saw a couple of times," she blushed.

"Did you get horny?" Aerith asked.

Gehrig nodded again.

"And I know he saw, too," she said as her face turned a bright red.

"So you do like each other!" Aerith said happily. "You didn't...do it, did you?"

"No way!" she dismissed. "We were just two friends hanging out together, butt naked, like Adam and Eve.

"Well," Aerith said, "if you don't mind being at the beach with your clothes on, the four of us can go to Costa del Sol sometime soon."

"Replace 'clothes' with 'green bikini' and you're on!" Gehrig agreed.

It was then settled. The four of us would spend a weekend at Costa del Sol. It would be the perfect time for me to ask Gehrig to be my girlfriend.

The date was set for July 2.


	42. Shock and Awe

Premonitions II: Crisis Core

Chapter 42: Shock and Awe

July 2, 0002

July 2 began just like any other day. I woke up in my apartment and went straight to the shuttle station. I was headed for Costa del Sol to meet up with Gehrig and, eventually, Aerith and Zack. I was especially looking forward to seeing the former. It would be the first time I had seen her since Costa del Luna.

MEANWHILE...

Zack woke up and climbed out of bed. He noticed he was alone in bed; he and his girlfriend had booked a room in Costa del Sol the night before. It was one of those rooms with a bedroom, sitting room, and kitchen, and he could smell something cooking. He rubbed his eyes and walked out of the bedroom, concluding that his girlfriend was making breakfast.

His hunch was confirmed when he noticed that Aerith was at the stove. Her back was turned to him, and she was wearing a pair of skinny jeans that really flattered her butt.

It was kind of funny since that was what Zack looked at first. As he scanned upward, he realized that her back was bare.

"What are you doing?" he asked in surprise.

"Making breakfast!" she replied with a smile. "Topless!"

She turned towards her boyfriend, trotted over to him, and kissed him.

"Any particular reason?" he asked.

"Seriously?" she replied. "I just wanted my girls to be free. I've slowly realized that's an advantage of having a boyfriend."

Aerith then returned to the stove.

"Unless we have company, I'll be going around the house in just my pants," she informed him. "Or maybe just my shirt."

"I would like that," Zack admitted.

"I bet you would!" she giggled.

She then turned around again, mainly to give Zack a view.

Then, suddenly, she got a look of horror on her face.

"Shit!" Aerith exclaimed as she immediately covered her breasts with her arms. It was one of the few times she used profanity when not having sex.

"What's wrong?" Zack asked.

"Tobin walked by!" she exclaimed as she glanced at the window. The curtains were mostly closed, but not perfectly. "Do you think he saw me?"

"I doubt it," Zack assured. "I don't think he even knows we're here."

MEANWHILE...

I can back that up; I didn't see her. Aerith's knockers were the last thing on my mind. I was on my way to the boardwalk to meet Gehrig.

She had texted me a few minutes before, saying she wanted to talk about something. I wasn't sure what it was, but there was something I wanted to talk about as well; today, I was going to ask her to be my girlfriend.

I spotted Gehrig at the end of the boardwalk. She was wearing a white tee shirt and a pair of black athletic shorts. She was in the process of tying her sneakers.

"Hey, you!" she greeted as she stood up and hugged me.

"What are you up to?" I asked.

"Going for a run," she replied.

"I can see that," I said as I noticed her attire.

"Yep, in my white top and black shorts," she said. "This is what I usually wear when I do something athletic." She paused, and put her hand on her hip. "Were you expecting me to show up naked again?"

I quickly shook my head.

"How far are you going?" I then asked.

"Five miles," she answered.

"Five miles?" I asked. "The boardwalk's only half that."

"I'll go to the other end," Gehrig explained as she sat down to do stretches. "Then I'll come back."

"Have you ever run that far?" I asked her.

"Nope," she dismissed. "But I've made a decision, and that's why I texted you to meet me here."

"What's that?" I asked.

"I don't want to play softball anymore," Gehrig replied. "I want to do track instead."

"What made you decide that?" I asked.

"Softball's starting to bore me to tears," she replied. "I'm spending almost half the time sitting on my butt doing nothing. I think it's time for a change."

I nodded and became silent. This was also the time to tell her what was on my mind. But, as usual, I became nervous. This was a lot bigger than anything else with her.

"Just say it," Gehrig suddenly commanded.

"Say what?" I asked.

"You're quiet," she replied as she stood up. "And you've got that look on your face like you're gearing up to ask me something."

"You're good," I sheepishly admitted.

"Tobin, my dear," she said, "I can read you like a book by now."

She was no doubt right. We had gotten to know each other really well ever since we met at Aerith's sixteenth.

"Well," Gehrig continued, "why don't you ask your question."

"Well," I began, "I was just thinking. About the carnation and everything."

"Still surprised it was me the whole time?" she asked with a smile as she put her folded hands behind her back.

"Kind of," I laughed. "I didn't know you felt that way about me."

"Well, I do," she enforced, still smiling. "Anna Gehrig Cline likes you. Get used to it."

"Well," I continued in a somewhat shaky voice. "Um...I..."

Gehrig smiled again and put her hand on my shoulder.

"It's okay," she assured me.

"Gehrig," I finally got brave enough to ask, "will you be my girlfriend?"

She lowered her arm for a moment.

"Oh, I have an answer," she said.

She took out a pen and a slip of paper, and wrote something on it. She then folded it and handed it to me.

"My answer's inside," she explained. "I'm going for the run now. I'll be running to the other end of the boardwalk and back. Don't open it until you see me coming," Gehrig ordered. "Promise?"

I nodded, though I knew the suspense would kill me.

"Hug me for luck?" she requested.

I hugged her as requested. This time, I wrapped my arms around her waist.

"Don't open until you see me coming back, you hear?"

"You have my word," I assured her.

Gehrig smiled.

With that, she turned and began to run. She was a fast runner; at that moment I thought she would excel on the track team for sure. The way her ponytail waved as she ran, it almost looked as if it was propelling her.

A few moments later, she was out of my view.

"Well, Well," said a familiar voice.

The smell of marijuana told me right away that it was Cid.

"New girlfriend?" he asked.

"Maybe," I replied as I turned to face him.

"What do you mean, 'maybe?'" he asked as he puffed his joint.

"I asked her," I told him. "She wrote her answer on a folded slip of paper."

"Read it," Cid commanded.

"I can't," I dismissed as I shook my head. "She made me promise to wait until I see her coming."

Cid sighed, and took another puff.

"She's saying 'no' in the most chicken way possible," he warned.

"What do you mean?" I asked him.

"I'll bet you she's not coming back," he replied. "You'll be waiting here for hours, but she's not coming back."

Cid strolled off a few moments later.

What he had said hit me somewhat, but I had to deal with the possibility he might have been right. I was tempted to open the slip of paper, but I didn't. He could have been wrong as much as he could have been right. So I waited, eyed the horizon, waiting for Gehrig to appear.

It takes about ten minutes to run a mile, and Gehrig was running five miles, so I clocked her return at fifty.

Fifty minutes went by. Gehrig did not appear. I didn't make a big deal out of it; I could not expect her or anyone else to be superhumanly perfect.

Then an hour went by. I didn't worry too much. I figured she slowed down so she wouldn't get too tired. We were taught that trick in gym class.

Then ninety minutes went by. I still didn't worry. I guess that she might have stopped to rest. It was ninety degrees out that day, and even someone as athletic as Gehrig might find it too much.

Then two hours went by. I peered down the boardwalk. There were shops, beach goers in varied states of undress, and a tramcar that kept repeating "watch the tramcar, please" over and over again. But there was no sign of Gehrig.

I stood there for another hour, waiting for Gehrig to arrive.

But she never, ever did.

LATER...

It took several eyewitnesses accounts for me to piece together what happened with Gehrig on that fateful day.

As it turned out, Gehrig had reached the other end of the boardwalk and turned around. She quickly got the attention of just about anyone on the boardwalk; she was the only one running. I actually don't think you're supposed to be running on the boardwalk, but security didn't care.

As she kept going, she began to get cheers and applause. One little boy reached out his hand, and she high-fived him. She was becoming a celebrity of sorts, and realized that her decision to switch sports was the correct one. Smiling, she continued her run, where I stood at the finish line.

She was about a mile from her destination when she began to struggle to breathe. At first she kept running, but eventually she slowed down. Her breathing became easier.

Then it became more difficult again, so she stopped. She gripped her knees, struggling to catch her breath. This time, her breathing didn't improve.

It got worse instead. She started taking deeper, labored breaths.

"Are you alright?" asked a middle-aged bystander.

"I...can't...breathe!" she gasped.

"I'm calling an ambulance!" announced another bystander as she pulled out her cell phone. "Hang tight!"

Gehrig nodded through her labored breathing. She still held onto both her knees. A moment later, she was only holding onto one knee, because she was gripping her left shoulder and displaying a look of agony on her face. Tears were coming from her eyes.

"Oh my God!" she cried, forgetting about her inability to breathe. "My arm! My arrrrm!"

And then, without warning, Gehrig toppled over, landing on the hard wooden floor of the boardwalk.

The paramedics arrived two minutes later. They did CPR and eventually employed the defibrillator. I was not there, so I don't know for sure how long they did that. But, eventually, one of the paramedics shook his head. They called it, lifted Gehrig onto the gurney, and covered her with the white sheet.

Gehrig had suffered a heart attack. One at the age of seventeen. She died instantly; she was gone before she hit the wooden flooring.

"It's like being struck by lightning on a sunny day," the pathologist would tell the hysterical Mary Ellen.

An autopsy that night would reveal that Gehrig's heart was larger than it should have been, and that her arteries were narrower. It was something she had been born with; nothing could have been done.

And that was the end of Anna Gehrig Cline.

July 5, 0002

Gehrig's body was taken back to Midgar. Her funeral was held a few days later. She lay in an open casket, wearing a modest pink dress that she never wore in life.

Mary Ellen wailed hysterically, as did Aerith, to a lesser extent. Of course, the latter had Zack to support her.

Meanwhile, Cissnei had come to support me. Instead of her Turk uniform, she wore a black dress. It was somewhat of a relief that she was as supportive as she was.

I was beginning to regret calling her annoying.

July 7, 0002

Zack and Aerith were in the church. This time, it was Zack standing, and admiring the flowers. Aerith, meanwhile, was sitting in the corner.

"You know," Zack said, "maybe I can make you a double wagon? One with two carts. That way, you'll be have to make fewer trips back down here." He then turned to the sitting girl. "And it'll be faster and safer."

He turned to see Aerith's head bobbing up and down, and he could tell right away that she was crying.

She had lost her best friend, just as Zack had the previous January.

He slowly sat down next to her. He could see that tears were streaming down her face, and that here eyes, and face, were bright red.

"We were going to be each other's maids of honor!" she sobbed.

He slowly moved behind her and wrapped his arms around her, just like she did when Angeal died.

Aerith immediately clutched his arm.

Slowly, Zack began to lose his balance, and the two of them gently fell on their sides, pressed against each other in the fetal position.

"Please don't stop holding me," she sobbed. "Please."

"I'll never let you go, Aerith," Zack assured her. "I love you."

"I love you more," she replied through her tears.

July 9, 0002

Two days later, I was in the lounge of my apartment when I spotted something on the floor; it was the note that Gehrig had given to me. It must have fallen out of my pocket.

The one she told me not to read until I saw her again.

The one that contained the answer to whether she would be my girlfriend.

I did see Gehrig again, in an open casket at her funeral, and I realized I was free to read it. I slowly sat down on the floor, and cautiously picked it up.

I had almost forgotten about the note after all that happened. On the rare occasions that I did remember, I felt it no longer mattered. Still, at this moment, I was curious at what might have been. I slowly opened the note, and saw what it read.

"Dear Tobin...YES! XOXO, Gehrig."

She had said yes. Now I knew why she wanted me to wait. She would've jumped into my arms and kissed me.

As I realized this, my eyes began to sting.

_My best friend is dead, _I thought. And she wanted to be more than that. We really would have made such a great couple.

I thought about the time she had fallen asleep on me back at Gold Saucer. It had become one of my favorite memories. I thought about her beautiful singing that I would never hear again.

Finally, it was my turn to wail hysterically. I began to sob, and my body began to shake. I had finally realized in full what I had lost.

And yet, ironically, it was also that moment I had finally realized in full what I had.

I felt a pair of arms wrap around me from behind. They felt gentle and welcoming.

Of course, they belonged to Cissnei.

"It's okay," she whispered. "I know you're hurting. I'll do anything to make you feel better."

It did reassure me somewhat. I knew it wouldn't bring Gehrig back, but I was a relief I still had some who cared. It was a shame I had overlooked it the whole time.

"Gehrig will always be with you," Cissnei assured me. "We can go trick-or-treating again this year to honor her."

"I'd like that," I chocked back.

She hugged me more tightly; she was practically a constrictor.

I had found her annoying at first. I couldn't believe I did. Now I found her nothing but assuring and comforting.

It then popped in my head again.

_My best friend is dead._

_Long live my best friend._

July 10, 0002

The next day, it was time for Cloud's mako test.

It was practically a circus; with a chair for Cloud to sit in, and a balcony for spectators. President Shinra was there, as was Heidegger, Scarlet, Reeve, Palmer, and Rufus.

Hojo was standing beside Cloud, operating a device attached to the wall.

As for the man of the hour, Cloud was strapped into the chair, with an intravenous needle inserted into his arm.

"Are you ready?" Hojo asked him.

"I'm ready," Cloud replied.

"The subject is ready!" Hojo called to the balcony.

"Begin," President Shinra ordered.

Hojo turned to the console in the wall and turned a key. A moment later, a neon fluid began to flow through the clear, plastic tube that disappeared into Cloud's arm.

Cloud immediately began to feel a burning sensation. It first started in his arm, where the needle was. The sensation spread throughout his body in two seconds flat. He couldn't describe the pain; it was worse than anything he had ever felt before.

Cloud couldn't jerk his body, as he was strapped tightly to the chair; all he could do is scream. His neck and arm veins became visible, and his eyes began to bulge.

And then, it was suddenly over. Hojo unstrapped him, and Cloud immediately toppled to the ground.

"He's failed," Hojo announced in a casual tone of voice.

When Cloud regained consciousness, he looked up to see President Shinra kneeling over him. He had a look of anger and disappointment on his face.

"You will never make SOLDIER," the president began as he smacked Cloud across the face.

Blood began to ooze from his nose, but Cloud was too weak to do anything about it.

"The moral of this story, Mr. Strife," President Shinra continued, "is to know when to stop." Then he grinned. "My son."

Cloud, still too weak to talk, widened his eyes.

_He didn't say that, did he?_ he thought.

"That's right," President Shinra continued. "I knew you were Claudia Strife's boy as soon as you joined the infantry. But I knew you were one of mine ever since she gave birth to you. I knocked her up nine months before you were born and simply did the math. Not that I ever intended to visit. I only have one real son and he's standing on that balcony!" He pointed to Rufus and walked off.

Cloud, with sheer overwhelm, passed out again.

LATER...

I was there, of course, because I was cloaked. Zack wasn't; only the top executives were permitted to watch. He did know Cloud's mako text was that day, but he had no idea of any results until around six that evening.

That was when he spotted Cloud, who had since recovered, marching in disappointment down the hall.

"Feeling alright?" Zack asked.

"Like a new man," Cloud replied sarcastically.

And his eyes were now glowing sky blue.

And this concludes the first half of my journal.

What a downer, huh?

THE STUFF THE MIGHT HAVE GONE UNNOTICED...

Gehrig's death was a shock, but it wasn't hard to see coming. One, she does not appear in the present day. Two, Tobin exclusively refers to her in the past tense. Three, as another classic character is about to return, an original one, much like Durham, had to be given the boot. Four, Gehrig had received a lot of exposure in the last several chapters (both figuratively and literally)-a sure sign a character is about to be killed off.


	43. Senior Year Begins

Premonitions II: Crisis Core

Chapter 43: Senior Year Begins

And now, to continue.

Cissnei stayed home with me for three days after she found me crying. She made me breakfast each morning and kept a close eye on me during the day to make sure I was okay. She's sit on the couch with me and we'd watch my favorite movies or play video games together; anything that would take my mind of my heartbreak. She insisted that she was off those days, but, on the third day, I overheard her calling in sick.

She was such a saint for taking care of me then. After all those times I found her annoying, I realized that she was looking after me the whole time; she really cared about me. I guess I had some growing up to do, like any insecure teenager naturally does.

The next day, I visited Gehrig's grave, and found someone I knew there.

"Hey," Aerith greeted softly.

She then wrapped her arms around me and squeezed me as hard as she could. Still feeling the grief, I did the same. And I heard a popping sound.

"You cracked my back," she giggled. She then displayed a serious face. "You don't seem okay."

"There's something you may as well know," I replied.

"I know about it," she said. "The real reason she invited you to the boardwalk was because she knew you were going to ask her to be your girlfriend."

"She told you?" I asked.

Aerith nodded.

"And she left you a note to read as she was coming back?"

"She said 'yes,'" I confirmed sadly.

"She has it all planned out," she continued. "She was going to jump into your arms and kiss you."

"I kind of figured that," I said.

"And she would have gotten her sweat all over you, forcing you two to shower together." She pause. "Sorry," she apologized as she dried a tear from her eye. "There will never be another Gehrig Cline."

I hugged her again, well aware that I was not the only one who was grieving.

"Is there anything I can do?" I offered.

"I'll be okay," she replied.

As I mentioned earlier, Aerith's religious beliefs are somewhat complicated. Here's where that plays out.

"Gehrig's okay," she continued. "She's returned to the planet."

"Returned to the planet?" I asked.

"My biological mother told me that, when we die, our souls return to the planet. It's our souls that keep the planet alive and thriving. Gehrig is doing the world an important service as we speak."

I didn't believe her, of course, but she had just lost her best friend; the last thing I had wanted to do was start an argument.

"I wonder," Aerith continued, "when my time comes, of Gehrig will take my hand and lead me into the Lifestream?"

That's what Aerith called the combined souls of the dead that are apparently roaming the planet under our feet.

This Lifestream idea sounded rather comforting. It's always been said that the dead go to a better place. But it's also been said that extraordinary claims require extraordinary proof. It seems some people, like Aerith, don't require extraordinary proof.

Well, I do.

August 3, 0002

I got another new neighbor at the end of the summer. He had moved in down the hall; it seemed like the Shinra had put him there. I recognized him as soon as I saw his blond, spikey hair, and his sky-blue eyes. The damndest thing was that he had recognized me.

"Tobin?!" he greeted.

"Hey, Cloud," I returned.

"It's been a while," he observed. "What are you doing out here?"

"Training for the stealth program," I replied. "I have one more year of high school and then I'm off to Xing for four years. But, anyway, what are you doing out here?"

"I came hoping to join SOLDIER," Cloud replied. "But that seems kind of unlikely now."

I hid the fact that I was at his "exam," but I hadn't forgotten it. Cloud, on the other hand, seemed to have moved on. He didn't even seem shaken up over finding out that he's President Shinra's illegitimate son. I think that's because he kind of already figured that. Cloud looks a hell of a lot like Rufus, the president's only son in wedlock. President Shinra also has a mansion in Nibelheim, where Cloud's from. Finally, Cloud's mom has never been married. Anyone can do the math.

"Listen," Cloud continued. "You can't tell anyone I know that I didn't make SOLDIER. And I mean anyone."

"Your secret's safe with me," I assured him.

Cloud then gave a concerned look.

"I wonder what the hell I would do if I ever got deployed to Nibelheim," he muttered. "That would be interesting."

Be careful what you wish for, Cloud.

August 15, 0002

Heidegger ascended the stairs to the top floor of the Shinra Building. He saw President Shinra sitting at his desk, with Rufus standing beside him. Scarlet, Reeve, and Palmer could be seen seated on the chairs in the back. Heidegger could tell right away that this was important.

"We have a situation," President Shinra began as soon as Heidegger reached the desk.

"Shinra employees have disappeared," Rufus announced. "At our first reactor."

"What do you mean?" Heidegger inquired. "Have they deserted, or have they just vanished?"

"We don't know," Rufus answered. "That's why we need to investigate immediately."

"You understand what's at that facility, right?" President Shinra pressed.

"Jenova," Heidegger replied. "That's where we're keeping her."

"Exactly," President Shinra concurred. "If that thing gets loose, we're going to have a rather difficult time here. And that's an understatement."

"Why can't we send SOLDIER troops in?" Heidegger inquired. "Isn't this their job?"

"That's the other reason we called you up here," Rufus answered. "Lazard Deusericus didn't show up for work three days ago. His phone has been shut off."

"Which means he abandoned his job," President Shinra added. "I'm appointing you acting director."

"I'm honored," Heidegger replied, though I couldn't tell if he was serious or not.

"Begin the investigation," President Shinra commanded. "If need be, send a SOLDIER First Class to Nibelheim and neutralize the situation ASAP."

"Understood," Heidegger complied.

THAT EVENING...

I forgot to mention a somewhat important detail; Zack and Aerith were now living together. This was not because they wanted to take their relationship to the next level; it was because Aerith had a run-in with the Turks in early August. She no longer felt safe at home.

They were both on their knees at the coffee table, playing a board game. That was what they often did during their free time, as Aerith just wanted peace and quiet for a change.

"Dammit," muttered Zack. "You beat me again."

"Fair game," she giggled.

"Not really," he dismissed. "You play like a girl."

"I _am_ a girl!" she retorted.

"All right," he sighed as he leaned over the table. "Good game, then."

They then kissed; it was their routine to kiss after every game, regardless of who won.

At this point, Zack and Aerith were more than a year and a half into their relationship, and they felt more comfortable with each other than ever. Zack no longer made the effort to clean his apartment perfectly, and no longer tried to dress as nicely; in fact, at this moment he was in a tank top and pajama pants. Aerith, meanwhile, was wearing a red and purple striped baby shirt and in her panties.

"Any chance I get, the pants are off," I overheard her saying to a fellow cheerleader. "I'm just happier without pants."

I'm sure Zack was happier as well. Anyway, as the game ended, Aerith stood up, and placed both her hands on the small of her back.

"What's on your mind?" Zack asked.

"Senior year's started," she replied. "It's going to be quite a year. I'll be cheer captain, we have our senior trip...and the prom."

Zack nodded.

"You're going to the prom with me," she commanded.

"We'll see," Zack replied.

"Hey-hey!" she exclaimed. "You don't have a choice. I booked a hotel room for us on prom night."

"You did?!" Zack exclaimed.

"You bet!" Aerith replied. "We're going to spend two nights and a day in that hotel room." She paused, and grinned. "Butt naked."

Zack grinned back, but his grin faded.

"I can't dance," he sighed.

"Oh, you big baby!" she groaned as she took Zack's hands and lifted him to his feet. She then wrapped her arms around his shoulders. "Wrap your arms around my waist," she commanded.

Zack did as he was told, resting his arms an inch above where her shirt met her underwear.

"Now just do what comes naturally," Aerith continued as she began to sway them.

Zack remained calm and confident; he realized that it wasn't so difficult.

"Hey!" she suddenly exclaimed. "Are you staring in the mirror?"

Aerith was wearing a pair of white panties that flattered her butt, and the mirror was displaying her backside rather well.

"No!" Zack playfully defended, although, of course, he was.

"Liar!" she giggled as she kissed him. "Don't worry, I still love you."

They kissed again, which their arms still locked in position.

"So Aerith," Zack began, "after the prom...what comes next?"

"We graduate, silly," Aerith replied. "But I was starting to wonder. After we graduate...what to we do?"

Zack was silent. He had been considering it ever since Angeal had died. Now, after it began to affect his relationship with Aerith, he was almost determined.

"I'm thinking about quitting SOLDIER," Zack finally said.

Aerith stopped swaying and looked her boyfriend in the eyes. She was completely caught off guard.

"What?" she asked.

"I had to miss your birthday," Zack replied. "And your figure skating competition. And I've had to bolt for work."

"Zack..." Aerith began. She was quite speechless.

"I'm tired of letting you down," he said. "And I really don't like this job anyway. Especially after Project G."

"Project G?" asked Aerith.

"Project G was Angeal's mother's experiment," Zack explained. "I apprehended Hollander in Modeoheim and turned him over to the company. After that, the company put me on standby. That was a while ago now. Shinra is in apparent disarray right now. The Turks are hanging around me everyday. They say our vacations 'overlapped' coincidently. Yeah, right."

"I don't like that," she said.

"I hate it," Zack added. "That's why I want to quit."

Aerith's eyes became moist; he was really giving up his job for her. A moment later, a feeling of love overwhelmed her, and she place her hands on his face, pressing her lips against his hard.

"I really love you," she whispered.

"And I love you," he said as he picked her up off the ground and kissed her again. He then gently put her back on the ground, and looked her in the eyes.

"What will we do, then?" she asked.

"We can leave Midgar!" Zack announced enthusiastically. "We can live in Gongaga."

"Don't you want to be a hero?" Aerith asked.

"I can make that sacrifice," he replied.

Aerith was touched again. He was practically ready to change his whole life for her. It proved that she really did come before everything else.

"You're my hero," she said before kissing him again.

An hour later, Aerith was wearing even less; in fact, she just wore hear earrings and necklace. She was relaxed in the tub, with Zack behind her, his arms wrapped around her torso.

"I'm still with SOLDIER until then," Zack said as he kissed Aerith's cheek. "They're actually sending me for some so-called shore leave at Costa del Sol this weekend."

"Can I come with you?" she asked. "I can stay a little bit before I have to go to cheer camp."

"Of course," he replied.

Aerith smiled and relaxed in his arms, placing her hands over his.

THAT WEEKEND...

Zack and Aerith were laying on their stomachs on their beach towels at Costa del Sol. He was in a pair of black trunks, she was in a red bikini.

The two of them were silent; both of them had a lot on their minds.

Aerith was still taking in the humongous sacrifice he was making for her. She would admit it had gotten her by surprise. He would really change his whole life for her. Not to mention, of course, that he was taking her in to make her feel safe.

As she continued to stare at the waves, Aerith thought about what was laying ahead. Later that day, she would arrive at cheer camp, where she would be cheerleading captain for the year. There would be her eighteenth birthday, then the senior trip, then prom, and, then, graduation.

And then, she suddenly realized what she wanted after graduation. She had been kind of hinting at it with herself, but now she felt more sure of it.

_Mrs. Zack Fair?_ she asked herself. It would make sense. They had been dating for nearly two years. They knew everything there was to know about each other. In a few months, she would be an adult.

But, before all that happened, she had to go to cheer camp. Reluctantly, they got up and walked back to where the stone stairs were. They led up towards the shuttle station.

"I'll be back tomorrow," Zack promised.

"Don't keep me waiting," she replied with a smile.

Aerith then folded the towel and three just a tee shirt on. She's just happier without pants, remember?

"I'll see you when you get back," she promised.

"I won't be late," he promised back as he wrapped his arms around her waist.

"I have an idea," Aerith suggested. "Wanna got to the aquarium next weekend?"

"We can do that," he replied.

"We can do it in the jellyfish room," she added with a seductive smile.

"Bad girl," he teased.

Aerith giggled and kissed him. She then turned and walked up the stairs.

Cloaked, I could see Zack staring at her butt as she climbed the stairs, but I didn't judge. She was his, and he certainly earned it. A moment later, Aerith was gone.

Without nothing else to do, Zack turned toward the ocean and began to do squats. He didn't even know why anymore; he was determined to quit SOLDIER in June anyway.

Suddenly, he began to hear footsteps from behind, climbing down the stairs.

"Suntan lotion?" offered a familiar, female voice.

Zack immediately recognized it at Cissnei's.

"No, never mind that!" he replied.

He then turned to face Cissnei, who was wearing a yellow bikini. Zack, having a girlfriend already, took little notice. He simply continued to do squats.

"What is this?" he continued. "Are they putting me out to pasture?"

"You could use some R and R," Cissnei said.

"I'm bored!" he complained. "That's it, I'm calling them."

"Director Lazard's not in," Cissnei reminded him. "He's been missing for a while now. It was Lazard who was funding Hollander's research. Using the company's money."

"Are you serious?" Zack exclaimed.

"We're interrogating Hollander," she confirmed, "so we should learn more soon."

"What's wrong with them?" Zack asked rhetorically.

Cissnei gave him a confused look.

"People," he clarified, as he turned to face the ocean. "What are they all thinking?"

"The truth lies within each person," as she stared at the ocean as well. "But even truth seems suspect once it leaves their mouths."

Zack, realizing that she wasn't going to give him his privacy, decided to be more vocal about his desire for it.

"Cissnei, go do something," he pleaded.

"Calling Aerith?" she asked as she folded her arms.

"How do you know that?" Zack demanded as he turned to face her. "Am I being watched?"

"No," replied Cissnei calmly, "she's the one being watched. That girl is an Ancient. The only one left in the world. You didn't know?"

"She...never said anything," Zack lied. He then turned to face the ocean again. "The only one left in the world, huh. She is one of a kind."

And then, Zack could hear more feet on the stone steps. This time, they were running. He turned to see Tseng, who was dressed in a Turk's uniform instead of a swimsuit.

"Heads up!" he announced sternly. "Genesis copies!"

A moment later, three copies, dressed in snorkel gear, jumped from the ocean.

"Genesis copies!?" Zack echoed.

As he had left his buster sword back at his apartment, his options were limited. He quickly grabbed the nearest thing he could find: an umbrella. The umbrellas at Costa del Sol had sharp edges, allowing Zack to impale each of the copies one by one.

As the three of them watched, a green glow began to appear on one of the corpses.

"These guys are still around?" Zack exclaimed. "But Genesis..."

He remembered distinctly how he was finished off.

"Maybe Genesis is still around, too," Tseng suggested.

"Huh?" asked Zack as he turned around.

"When the soul leaves the body," Tseng explained, "it returns to the Lifestream."

I guess Aerith isn't the only one who believes in that. Funny, she and Tseng seem from totally different backgrounds, unless there's something the latter isn't telling us.

"Yeah, and...?" Zack inquired as he folded his arms skeptically.

"The river of souls that circles our planet," Tseng continued. "Perhaps Genesis's soul is-"

"Controlling copies from the Lifestream?" Zack interrupted. "Is this what you're telling me?"

"It was merely a supposition," Tseng explained. "In any case, your vacation is over, Zack. Junon is under attack by an unknown force. You're going there with me to investigate."

"Thank God," Zack whispered.

THE STUFF THAT MIGHT HAVE GONE UNNOTICED...

We are finally back to the main Crisis Core storyline. The chapters in Crisis Core do not all occur back-to-back. In other words, between Chapter 5 and Chapter 6, and between Chapter 6 and Chapter 7, a whole bunch of stuff happened and we missed it. The original chapters fill in the gaps.


	44. To the Harbor

Premonitions II: Crisis Core

Chapter 44: To the Harbor

Zack, Tseng, and Cissnei cautiously patrolled the streets of Junon. A few feet into town explained the situation for them. There were fires in the middle of the street, and townspeople running frantically in the opposite direction.

"This is terrible!" Zack exclaimed. "Genesis copies here, too! They're just running wild!"

Two Genesis copies, armed with machine guns, approached Zack, and he sliced them in half with once swipe of his buster sword.

Tseng turned away.

Cissnei did not; she had more balls than Tseng did, and it showed.

"Hollander is currently in Junon," Tseng said as he knelt by one of the corpses. "His presence here and this attack can't be unrelated."

"It's not over, is it?" asked Zack with concern.

"We'll begin evacuating the residents," Tseng replied as he stood up. "Zack, you find Hollander and make sure he's kept safe."

"You're making me babysit Hollander?" asked Zack skeptically as he folded his arms. "Don't you think I'd be put to better use on the battlefield?"

"Hollander has access to top-secret information," Tseng answered. "The president insists that his safety be priority one. After Director Lazard's sudden disappearance, SOLDIER's chain of command has been shaky at best. This attack is an attempt to exploit that weakness. Zack, you must protect Hollander."

"Hollander is currently being held in a detention center on the eight level of Upper Junon," Cissnei added. "You can use the emergency elevator to go up. It's at the end of this path. Zack, we're counting on you."

"Hollander is still being interrogated," Tseng announced. "He can't fall into enemy hands now."

"Understood," Zack agreed.

Zack started down the path as commanded. Halfway there, he was attacked by three Genesis copies, which he killed easily. Further down, three more Genesis copies opened fire on him. He waited for them to run out of ammo, then killed them one by one.

He then got to the elevator. When he got off, he found dead bodies left and right, and a familiar face greeting him.

"Genesis!?" Zack exclaimed before realizing that he lacked his scars. "No, it's a copy!"

This copy was armed with a gun-blade.

Zack quickly sliced off his arm before decapitating him.

As the copy's body fell to the ground, the elevator door opened again, and a trooper ran out.

"Hollander has escaped the detention center!"

"What!?" Zack exclaimed. "They attacked the detention center?"

"No," the trooper replied, "but security was spread thin after the attacks in the city, and he used that opportunity to escape."

"So he found a way to escape on his own!?" Zack inquired.

"The timing of the attack was just too perfect," the trooper answered. "It's very possible that Hollander is getting outside help."

"Which way did Hollander go?" Zack asked.

"Security cameras on the sixth level have a positive identification on Hollander," the trooper replied. "This just happens to be the sixth level, so he should be somewhere ahead. Lower Junon and Upper Junon are connected by a central passageway. To proceed to Upper Junon where Hollander is, open the central passageway gate and go straight. The large gates can be opened by pressing a switch."

"Thanks," said Zack. "If you can tend to the wounded, it'll be a great help."

"Certainly!" the trooper agreed.

"Meanwhile, I'll go protect Hollander from himself!" Zack announced.

With that, he darted down the street. A few yards down, he encountered another Genesis copy with a gun-blade, dragging it on the pavement and killing soldiers with ricocheting bullets. He wasted no time putting an end to it.

A few yards after that, Zack finally saw who he had been looking for.

"Hollander!" he demanded. "Stop right there!"

Hollander immediately began to run.

"You're not getting away!" Zack shouted as he began to give chase.

And then, instinct took over. Zack felt something behind him. He quickly turned just in time to dodge a bullet from another Genesis copy with his buster sword.

"Hey, watch it!" Zack demanded. "I'm in a hurry here! Don't get in the way!"

He charged the copy and stabbed it in the neck. After that, he resumed his pursuit. He reached the end of the street, only to find yet another Genesis copy with a gun-blade.

"You're really starting to annoy me!" Zack growled as he killed it.

He then opened the gate at the end of the street. Sure enough, Hollander was behind it.

"Stop, Hollander!" Zack demanded.

Hollander briefly turned around.

"Humph!" he grunted before opening another gate behind him.

In rolled a tank that immediately fired propelled missles at Zack.

"Some kind of new tank!?" Zack groaned as he destroyed them with his sword one by one. "Damn that Hollander!"

Once the missiles were gone, Zack cast lighting on the tank, destroying it immediately.

Just then, the door behind him opened. In came Tseng and two troopers.

"What the hell happened in here?" he demanded.

"It got a little out of hand," Zack replied. "How've you been?"

"We've been able to contain the enemies in this area," Tseng replied. "If we lock this door, we can hold the enemy off. We'll move the evacuated residents here, for now."

"Looks like things are going smoothly on your side," Zack observed. "I, on the other hand, let Hollander escape. I should get going."

"We're counting on you," Tseng reminded him. "The evacuees should be safe here, for now. You should focus on securing Hollander. Cissnei is still out in the city on rescue detail."

As Zack headed for the far gate, he saw someone else he knew, leaning against the wall.

"Hey, are you all right?"

"Y-yeah," Cloud replied. "On the helicopter...I got a little nauseous."

"Hey, you're Cloud!" Zack greeted.

"Wow, you remembered me," Cloud observed.

"Of course I remember!" Zack insisted. "I'm happy to be working with you again."

"Yeah, although my work is a little dull," said Cloud.

"What are you talking about?" Zack asked. "Rescue work is an important task! Anyway, once we're all done, let's go grab a bite to eat-my treat."

"Really?" asked Cloud. "That would be great! Once I'm feeling better, I'd love to go. But right now, just thinking about food is making sick. I'm sorry, Zack."

"Don't worry about it," Zack laughed. "Hope you feel better."

Beyond the second gate, Zack spotted Hollander, who predictably ran off.

"That way is the airbase!" Zack observed. "Is he planning a getaway by air!? This is bad!"

Hollander came into view as Zack approached yet another electronic gate.

"Are you sure it's me you should be concerned about?" Hollander taunted as two hovering robots suddenly appeared behind Zack. "If you don't stop those things, what will become of Junon?"

With that, Hollander opened the gate and disappeared.

"Damn!" Zack muttered. "You underhanded snake! You're destroying the gate to attack civilians? I won't let that happen! That Hollander...when I catch him, I'll deck him but good!

Zack quickly took care of the hovering robots. Two more appeared, and he dispatched those in the same manner.

"Excellent!" Zack said triumphantly. "Looks like I got them all!" He then remembered who he was after. "Damn you, Hollander! I won't let you get away with this!"

He opened the gate and passed through. Beyond the gate, he took a platform up two floors. When he reached the top, he saw another familiar face, who had just killed a Genesis copy.

"Hello, Zack!" Cissnei greeted. "What are you doing here? I thought your assignment was to protect Hollander."

"I was a little worried, that's all," Zack said. "Looks like you have things under control, though. Mighty quick work there, Cissnei. You'll make Turks supervisor in no time!"

"I don't know about that," she said skeptically.

"It's a compliment," he insisted. "Just accept it. If you get promoted, I'll throw you a celebration party."

"Before now, I had never even thought of people celebrating anything I did."

"Huh?" asked Zack in surprise.

"I was raised to believe that initially, every person I meet is an enemy," Cissnei explained. "But I've recently stopped believing that. Thanks to my Turks colleagues, and especially my roomie."

"You mean Tobin?" Zack asked.

Cissnei nodded.

I'll admit I found it flattering.

"I saw you supporting him at the funeral," Zack observed. "You're a good friend to him."

"He's the first real friend I've had," Cissnei replied. "At first, I thought he was a big baby I had to live with. But now, I come home looking forward to seeing him. He's pretty much my best friend now."

Now I was beyond touched. I was glad she considered me that.

"Cissnei," Zack continued, "what did you do before you joined the Turks? I've just been wondering, because you're about the youngest Turks member I've met."

I don't know if I mentioned her age, but Cissnei was nineteen, almost twenty.

"I received all different kinds of training," Cissnei replied. "Then, I joined the Turks. Now, enough chitchat. Time to get back to work. If you keep slacking off, you're going to disappoint your fans."

"Fans?" Zack asked. "I have fans?"

"Look into it when you're back in Midgar," she commanded. "Apparently there are a lot of people who expect great things out of you."

"My fans, huh?" sighed Zack. "I wonder what they're like."

Just then, a Guard Scorpion suddenly appeared, arming its cannons and pointing them at Zack.

"Now it's scorpion mechs!?" Zack exclaimed as he drew his buster sword. "Get out of my way, or else!"

And then, the Guard Scorpion went dead.

Zack stood for a good twenty seconds before putting his sword away.

"What the hell happened?" he shouted.

"Nothing," Cissnei replied as she held up a remote. "I just deactivated it. Any Turk can override Shinra equipment." She went up to the Guard Scorpion and pushed it, causing it to fall over. "This would do better guarding a mako reactor," she muttered.

Meanwhile, Zack then gazed down the airstrip.

"Hollander must be that way," he said aloud. "Man, enough is enough!"

He began to ran down. Soon enough, he saw Hollander fleeing, stopping only when the strip ended above water.

"That's far enough!" Zack demanded.

"Really?" Hollander taunted as he turned around. "You sure?"

And then, Hollander intentionally fell backwards.

"Hey!" Zack exclaimed as he rushed to his aid. "What is he...?"

But Hollander was gone, having disappeared over the ledge.

Defeated, Zack stopped in his tracks.

A moment later, Hollander re-appeared, carried away by two Genesis copies.

"Tch!" groaned Zack. "Should have known."

Just then, Tseng and Cissnei ran by. A moment later, Zack heard footsteps coming from behind.

"Mission failed," Sephiroth announced. "This goes on your permanent record."

Zack turned around.

"Sephiroth!" he greeted. "Long time no see!"

"Let the Turks take care of the rest," Sephiroth commanded as he approached. "I was on my way to Modeoheim, but I heard you were in the area."

"Lucky me," Zack said.

"The situation has not resolved," Sephiroth reprimanded. "Genesis copies have been sighted around the world."

"That can't be!" Zack protested. "We wiped out those Genesis copies."

"Did Genesis really die?" Sephiroth challenged him.

Zack thought about the time Genesis seemed to fall to his death.

"They've been sighted in Midgar as well," Sephiroth added.

"I see," Zack said.

"The slums, too," Sephiroth added.

Zack showed a troubled look on his face; he immediately thought of Aerith.

"Permission to return granted," Sephiroth announced.

"Uh, yeah," Zack replied, still up in the stratosphere.

"Take care," Sephiroth wished.

"You too," replied Zack.

He began to walk away. After several feet, he turned around.

"Hey," Zack asked, "what's going on in Modeoheim?"

"The device Hollander was using has been stolen," Sephiroth replied.

"Genesis?" Zack asked.

"Probably," Sephiroth answered. He then turned to Zack. "We'll meet again soon."

"I'll hold you to that," Zack replied.

As Zack left, I could see, out of the corner of my eye, Genesis standing at the edge of the cannon.

"My friend," I heard him say, "your desire Is the bringer of life, the gift of the goddess Legend shall speak of sacrifice at world's end. The wind sails over the water's surface. Quietly, but surely."

And I could see that he was talking to a dumbapple.

And I could see him as a dumbass.

THE NEXT DAY...

Aerith sat in biology class, daydreaming as she was supposed to be learning about the anatomy of an animal cell.

_Mrs. Zack Fair_, she again thought to herself.

She didn't care about alleles. She didn't care about nuclear membranes. All she had on her mind was a wedding dress.

_When? Possibly as early as this summer. Where? That was a good question. Certainly not the church; the pastor there was known for making couples take lengthy marriage courses. Maybe on the beach. Maybe I could go barefoot. Why? Because I'm madly in love with Zack Fair, that's why._

The bell rang, and Aerith quickly got out of her seat. She knew Zack was coming home; she didn't even bother to go to her locker and get her backpack. She strolled right down the stairs and into the streets. Zack's apartment was only a few blocks away.

Zack, meanwhile, caught sight of her from behind. He was able to identify her in two ways: he recognized her butt in the skinny jeans she was wearing with her pink baby tee, and he could see the name "Aerith Lee" glittered on her belt, with a heart to the right of it. Knowing it was her, Zack snuck up behind her, and placed his hands on her shoulders.

Aerith jumped in surprise and quickly turned around.

"You scared me, Mr. Fair!" she playfully reprimanded as she placed her hands on her hips.

"Sorry, Miss Gainsborough," he replied.

She then placed her hands on his cheeks and kissed him hard.

"I've missed you!" she said.

They then clasped their hands and walked toward the apartment building.

"Tell me what happened," Aerith requested as they passed through the front door.

"Genesis is probably alive," Zack replied solemnly.

She tightened her grip.

"I saw a bunch of copies in Junon," he continued as he pressed the elevator button.

"And they stopped the investigation?" she asked as the elevator door opened and they embarked.

"Sephiroth let me go home," Zack replied as the door closed and the elevator began moving up. "He knew I was worried about you."

"Well, he's a nice guy," she observed.

"He seems to be," he agreed, "but something about him..."

The elevator stopped on Zack's floor, and the young lovers walked silently down the hall to Zack's door.

Zack took the keys out of his pocket, opened the door, and led them in. Aerith and Zack kicked off their shoes simultaneously. They then kissed again before Aerith reached for her belt buckle.

"I'm taking my pants off," she announced.

"I'm going to take a piss," Zack replied as he headed for the bathroom.

"That's a little more than I wanted to know," she reprimanded as she unzipped her jeans.

Zack went to the bathroom and did what he said he would do. He returned to find Aerith standing with her back turned towards him, completely naked from the waist down, her bare butt staring him in the face.

"I went commando today," she said with a sheepish smile.

"Not that I mind," he said as he approached.

She then suddenly looked toward the ceiling.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"Something's on my mind," she replied as she turned her head so he could see half her face.

"What is it?" asked Zack out of concern

"This is so hard I think I'm going to cry," she said as her eyes became wet. She then took a breath and shook her head. "No, no, it's nothing bad, I promise."

"You can tell me," Zack assured his girlfriend.

"My God, this is giving me butterflies in my stomach," she said nervously. She then lowered her left hand. "Here, hold my hand."

Zack took her hand, felt her clutch hard, and noticed her palms were sweaty. He could see her taking deep breaths.

"I want to to get married within the next two years," she finally said. "Maybe even as soon as next summer. I know all about you, Zack. I'm one hundred percent ready."

She squeezed his hand again, this time harder than before.

"I want to be a young mom," Aerith continued. "I want to take the kids to Gold Saucer and go on roller coasters with them."

And then, she began to hyperventilate.

Zack quickly turned his love to face him. Her face was wet, and he couldn't tell if it was tears or sweat. In any case, he gently place his hands on her cheeks.

"Aerith," he began.

"If you want to run now," she said, "it's okay."

Zack shook his head.

"I want that, too," he said.

"Zack," she began, "don't say it to make me feel better."

"I'm not," Zack insisted. "I've been thinking about it."

She began to breathe easier, and looked him in the eyes.

"You really mean it?" she asked.

Zack nodded.

"Remember how I said I wanted us to move out to Gongaga? You didn't think I meant as boyfriend and girlfriend, did you?"

Aerith's heart was overwhelmed as she felt a rush of love pour through her.

"Kiss me," she commanded.

Zack pressed his lips against hers. A moment later, their tongues met.

When the kiss was broken, Aerith suddenly smiled.

"I want to do it," she announced, eying the mirror.

"In front of the mirror?"

"We can see each other's faces, right?" she pointed out.

"You got it there," Zack agreed.

Sorry, but I'm not going into explicit detail, just in case you're my mom reading this. So, instead, I'll skip ahead to the after-sex talk that TV couples always have.

This leaves us with Zack and Aerith laying on their backs on the living-room floor. Zack was naked as the day he was born; Aerith had kept her shirt on. Both were staring at the ceiling.

"I'll find a time to propose," Zack said.

"Don't tell me when," Aerith requested. "I want it to be a surprise."

"No worries," he assured her. "And then, we can start planning the wedding." He paused. "Hell, we can start that now."

Aerith turned her head and smiled at her boyfriend.

"I love you, Zack," she said.

"I love you, too, Aerith," he replied.

And they clasped their hands.


	45. An Unholy Attack

Premonitions II: Crisis Core

Chapter 45: An Unholy Attack

A few days later, Zack was running towards the Sector Five Church. There was no need to ask why; Aerith was in there, tending her flowers as usual. He was always happy to see her, and did so every chance he got. Even though they lived together now, it never seemed enough.

And then, as Zack approached the stairs, he turned around and folded his arms. He got a troubled look on his face.

"I thought I felt some kind of presence," he said out loud.

He scanned the area behind him. But there was nothing there.

"Was it just my imagination?" he said to himself.

He scanned the vicinity again. There was still nothing.

Realizing he had a girlfriend waiting for him, he turned around and entered the church.

Unknown to Zack, a machine slowly pursued him.

INSIDE THE CHURCH...

A bizarre wolf-like winged creature presented itself to Zack as he entered the building. He gasped in shock; this was certainly not what he had been expecting.

Aerith was standing next to the creature with her right hand to her mouth. She was clearly frightened.

"Zack!" she exclaimed as she looked him in the eyes from across the church.

His heart was wrenched; it was the most frightened he had ever seen her.

He quickly grabbed his sword with his right hand and signaled for her to come to him with his left.

Aerith shook her head and began to sob.

Zack then cautiously approached the creature.

As the creature raised its head to howl, a familiar face was revealed on its chin.

"An Angeal copy?" Zack said aloud as he let go of his sword.

As Zack drew closer to the creature, the church doors opened again. The machine, presenting a cannon and shield, entered, and aimed its cannon at the creature.

Zack attempted to come in between the dreadful contraption and the creature. Then, the creature charged the machine. It struck the shield before flying straight up and out of sight.

Sparks then began to fly from the machine. Zack quickly shielded Aerith as the contraption exploded.

The creature then returned, landing a few feet from ground zero.

"Thank you," Zack said to the creature.

The creature howled toward the sky.

"Was it protecting us?" Aerith asked.

"Yeah, probably," Zack replied.

And then, suddenly, the creature collapsed.

Zack quickly went over to the creature and examined it.

"Looks like it's degrading," he said.

"Poor thing," Aerith said sadly.

"Does this mean," Zack began, as he continued to watch the creature, "Angeal is out there, too?"

Zack stood up, and then, so his surprise, so did the creature.

It began to flap its wing, circling the couple once, and then flying out of the church.

"It was so...I don't know...sad," Aerith observed as she folded her hands and lowered her head.

"What did you come here to do?" Zack asked the creature, though he doubted that it could hear him.

Then, Aerith finally turned to Zack.

"So, a flower wagon," she began. "Let's make one!"

Zack slowly turned to his girlfriend. This was yet another instance of Miss Gainsborough wanting to have fun at an inappropriate time.

"Yeah, but..."

"Don't worry," she interjected.

"Can you hear me?" Zack called to the creature while pointing his finger. "Stay right where you are!"

Aerith simply folded her hands behind her back and smiled.

"I'll take care of things," Zack said.

Aerith walked a few feet in front of him, and turned around.

"So that flower wagon," she began. "Let's do it."

She then walked to the flowers, and turned around again.

"Come on, Zack," she commanded. "This way."

"Oh, yeah," he said unenthusiastically as he approached her. "Hey Aerith, when the wagon is done, you're going to sell the flowers above the plate, too, right?"

"Yeah," she replied as she put her hand to her cheek. "But I'm still a little scared, so..."

"Of the sky?!" Zack asked.

Aerith shook her head.

"All that's been happening lately," she clarified. "First, I'll fill the slums full of flowers."

"Oh, come on, Aerith!" Zack protested. "When you go above, I'll go with you. There's no need to be scared."

"Thanks, Zack!" she said with a smile.

"All right, lets get started on that wagon, then!" he exclaimed. "I'll gather the materials. Aerith, you wait here!"

When Zack left the church, the mood changed completely.

Three more machines with cannons and shields were waiting for him outside the church.

"Oh, there's more of you!" he said as he drew his buster sword. "Well, don't just stand there. Do something!"

The machines closed in on him, but, as their shields were made of wood, Zack had no problem destroying them.

And then, he saw Tseng approach him from the side.

"What are those things?" Zack asked.

"A new automated mobile weapon," Tseng replied. "They automatically detects and attack monsters. Arms development deployed these in Midgar as an anti-Genesis copy measure. These new models were able to eliminate most of the copies inside Midgar, apparently."

"That's pretty impressive," Zack observed. "But why the heck was I attacked, then? Can't they tell the difference between SOLDIER operatives and monsters?"

"Currently, no," Tseng replied as he folded his arms.

"Well, that's annoying," Zack sighed.

"They'll fix it eventually," Tseng assured him.

"By the way, Tseng," Zack said as he turned and folded his arms, "I'm annoyed with you, too. You were spying on Aerith again, weren't you?"

Tseng stonewalled him and began to walk away.

"Silent treatment again?"

Tseng stopped without looking back.

"If you want to go play with Aerith," he said, "you're welcome to do so. I'm just fulfilling my duties as a Turk."

"Hey!" Zack exclaimed angrily. "I'm not 'playing' with Aerith! I'm fulfilling my duties as SOLDIER to protect-"

"Oh, mister SOLDIER!" interrupted a boy as he ran up to Zack, "I heard you're making a flower wagon! I'll help you make it really fancy so you can surprise Aerith!"

"No!" Zack objected. "This isn't what you think! This is for her protection. Hey, Tseng!"

"Just remember to play it safe," Tseng warned as he walked away.

"For a wagon?" Zack asked as he scratched his head.

"He means use condoms," the boy replied. "You don't want to get her pregnant, do you?"

"Hell, no," Zack sighed.

The boy turned out to be good enough to help him find materials to build a wagon.

THE NEXT DAY...

Aerith scanned the cart for a few moments with her hand to her mouth as Zack stood proudly by their creation.

"Not quite what I expected," she said.

"Really?" asked Zack, somewhat disappointed. "I think it's fine. It's all about the flowers, anyway."

Aerith folded her arms so that her hands touched her elbows.

"I want a nicer one," she requested."

"Stop being so picky!" Zack protested.

"A tiny little wish," she said as she folded her hands behind her back and gave an innocent smile. "That's all."

"They're tiny," he agreed, "but you have lots, right?"

"That's right," she confirmed. "Want to hear?"

"How many you got?" he asked.

"Hmmm," mumbled Aerith as she turned her back towards him. "Twenty-three?"

"Write them down," Zack commanded. "So I don't forget."

At that moment, his cell phone rang, and he instinctively answered it.

_One of those is that I wish he would turn that cell phone off,_ she thought.

"There are new developments," Sephiroth announced over the phone.

"What?" asked Zack.

"Headquarters, now!" Sephiroth commanded.

Zack hung up the phone.

Aerith gave him a sad look. She knew what that meant.

"Work stuff?" she asked.

"Sadly," Zack replied.

"Here," Aerith said as she handed him a slip of paper.

She looked at him in the eyes and tried to smile, but she had trouble doing so.

"Was that Sephiroth?" she asked.

"Affirmative," Zack answered.

She gave him a nervous look.

"He sounds...troubled," she observed. She then placed her arms on his shoulders. "Please be careful," she pleaded.

"Will do," he promised.

They kissed, and off he went.

LATER, AT SHINRA HEADQUARTERS...

"Legions of monsters have spawned near a regional mako reactor," Sephiroth explained. "The workers have all gone missing. Local SOLDIER operatives have also vanished. The company is dispatching additional operatives to investigate the matter. You and I, that is."

Zack stood with his arms folded. It was odd; he and Sephiroth were the only ones in the room.

"Roger that," Zack said, trying to hit his suspicion.

Of course, Sephiroth knew better.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"Well," Zack replied, "you know. I thought you found something out about that other matter."

He was obviously referring to Genesis.

"The missing operatives were the ones tracking Lazard," Sephiroth continued. "Also, they had reported a strange, podlike device in the area."

"Is that Hollander's?" Zack asked.

"Probably the same device that was stolen in Modeoheim," Sephiroth replied.

"Meaning..."

"Lazard, Hollander..."

"And Genesis?" Zack interjected.

"We'll have to go see them," Sephiroth confirmed.

Zack nodded.

"Let's go."

"First, go to the SOLDIER floor," Sephiroth commanded. "We'll depart as soon as you and the rest of the men are ready to go."

"Understood," Zack complied as he began to turn and leave.

"Our orders are to investigate the reactor," Sephiroth continued as Zack stopped. "They mention nothing of old friends." Sephiroth then turned to the wall. "Depending on what happens, I may abandon Shinra."

Zack gave a concerned look. He certainly wasn't expecting that.

"Until then, I'll remain loyal to SOLDIER," Sephiroth finished.

AN HOUR LATER...

Zack entered the church once more, eager to see Aerith.

There she was, on her hands and knees, tending her flowers as if nothing could possibly go wrong in the world. The tank top and skirt made her look extra soft and feminine.

It would break his heart to let her down.

"Oh, Zack!" she exclaimed as she stood up and turned to face him with a smile. "Are you done with work already?"

Zack sighed. There was no easy way to tell her, so he decided to be direct.

"Actually," he replied, "I was given an important assignment, and I have to leave Midgar for a while."

Aerith placed her hand to her mouth; she was clearly troubled.

"When will you be back?" she asked.

"I really don't know," he answered.

It was the truth; what Sephiroth had said made him wonder how it would all play out.

"Oh," she said as she lowered her head. "Can I call you?"

"Of course!" Zack replied as he put his hands on his hips. "And don't worry, the job will be a cinch. I'll be back in no time!"

Aerith suddenly raised her head.

"Hey, let's start now!" she suddenly exclaimed.

"Huh?" asked Zack as he folded his arms. "Start what?"

"Start filling the slums with flowers!" she clarified.

"I suppose we can do that," he said.

It would get his mind off of things.

Aerith smiled as she walked up to Zack and put her hands on his shoulders.

Zack smiled back as he wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her deeply. He then lowered his right hand several inches, allowing it to rest on her butt through her skirt.

"Zack, stop!" Aerith playfully reprimanded as she yanked his hand off her behind. "We can't do it in the church!"

"Oh, can't we?" Zack questioned.

Then, without warning, he slipped both of his hands under her skirt and panties and squeezed her butt cheeks.

"Zack, I mean it!" Aerith exclaimed as she pulled his hands out of her skirt. "We'll go to Hell!"

Zack sighed.

"Later tonight, okay?" she promised with a smile.

OUTSIDE...

Aerith pushed the cart full of flowers through the playground as Zack looked on.

"Yeah, it's really cute!" Zack observed. "I like it!"

She stopped pushing the cart, and turned to him.

"Do you think we'll sell a lot of flowers?" she asked. "Nobody's coming."

"Just give it a little more time!" Zack assured her. "A lot of people will come, you'll see!"

"I think it's because the wagon doesn't look very nice," she suggested.

Zack sighed and hung his head.

_This again._

And then, someone approached.

"Oh!" Aerith exclaimed. "A customer!"

"Hey there!" Zack greeted after practically running over. "Want to buy some flowers? Ten gil a pop. That's a special one day offer. You're not going to find a better price anywhere!"

His girlfriend watched and giggled from her spot. She couldn't hear what he was saying, but she knew he was making an effort for her. It made her happy inside.

A moment later, Zack came charging up to her.

"Aerith!" he exclaimed. "This customer will buy if you can go down to five gil."

"Sure!" she approved. "Any price is fine."

Zack shook his head.

"No, we have to be a little more aggressive than that," he insisted. "I'll renegotiate for seven gil."

"But the customer just left," Aerith said sadly.

Zack sighed.

"I'm sorry, Aerith."

"Why are you sorry?" she asked. "I'm having such a wonderful time." She paused, and smiled. "Because you're here with me." She then spotted a boy entering the playground. "Hey look, Zack! Another customer!"

This time, Aerith ran over.

Zack, meanwhile, out of the corner of his eye, noticed Tseng hiding behind the cat slide. He realized that while his girlfriend was negotiating, he might as well do the same. So he walked over to him.

"Don't worry about Aerith," Tseng immediately assured him. "Protecting the subject is part of surveillance duty."

"You're the only one I can depend on," Zack admitted.

Suddenly, Tseng began to chuckle.

"Hey!" Zack exclaimed. "Why are you laughing?"

Tseng, instead of responding, gave Zack a stern look, reminding him of his place in the food chain.

Defeated, Zack simply pointed his finger.

"I'm counting on you!" he said before rejoining his girlfriend.

LATER...

Zack and Aerith did manage to sell all of the flowers within a two hour timeframe. They were now back at the church, and had parked the empty cart in the aisle. They were sitting together on one of the pew benches, unwinding from the day.

"Thanks for helping," Aerith said with a smile as she pecked Zack on the cheek.

"Don't mention it," he replied. "I wanted to spend more time with you."

Aerith smiled again, this time with her mouth open.

"You read the note!" she said happily.

"Well, yeah," Zack said sheepishly.

"Don't be embarrassed!" she insisted.

"Well," he continued, "what were your other tiny wishes? Besides the wagon?"

"Hmmm," she began as she put her index finger to her mouth. "I guess I'd like to feel less confined."

"Less confined?" Zack asked. "Am I smothering you?"

Aerith simply giggled. She quickly pulled off her shirt. She then reached back, unhooked her bra, and set it next to her.

"No," she said. "I just needed to free my girls after a day of selling flowers."

Zack smiled and put an arm around Aerith's now-bare shoulders.

"How did I get so lucky?" she asked.

They continued to sit and talk in the pew for an hour. Aerith had locked the door, so she had no concern that anyone would walk in on them while she was topless.

"Alright," she finally said as she stood up. "No more teasing." She then slipped off her skirt and panties in one tug. "Let's do it on the altar!"

Another hour later, Zack and Aerith were laying on their backs on the altar, still naked, and still sweaty from their lovemaking. Both were staring at the ceiling.

"Still worried about going to Hell?" Zack playfully asked.

"Please!" Aerith giggled. "'Be fruitful and multiply.' Genesis 1:28."

The smile faded from Zack's face.

_Genesis,_ he thought. _I wonder if I'll encounter that son of a bitch at the reactor._

_I also wonder...if Angeal is still alive._

THE NEXT DAY...

At Shinra Headquarters, Zack rounded the corner to find a trooper standing alone against the wall.

"What's up?" he asked.

"I'm having a little trouble rounding up the group," the trooper replied.

"We're in a hurry," Zack reprimanded. "Let's move it."

"Sir!" the trooper obeyed immediately.

And then, Zack recognized the trooper.

"Cloud?!" he exclaimed. "Together again, eh?" He gave him a fist bump. "All right!"

"Thanks!" Cloud said. "Hold on. I'll get everyone."

With that, he darted off.

Zack smiled; if there was anyone he could trust, it would be Cloud.

LATER...

Cloud stood at attention with two other troopers as Zack looked on.

A moment later, Sephiroth approached the four of them.

"By the way," Zack asked, "where are we going?"

Sephiroth turned to Zack.

"To Nibelheim," he replied.

Behind Sephiroth, Zack could see Cloud's mouth drop open.

I'll explain why; Cloud just so happens to be from Nibelheim. He lived right next door to my Uncle Brian until all hell broke loose.

That happens soon.


	46. The Blood Test

Premonitions II: Crisis Core

Chapter 46: The Blood Test

Cloud sat strapped in a chair. He didn't find it necessary. Hojo had simply ordered him to report for a blood test. The restraint was one of two things that he had found odd. The other was the fact that the order had come from Hojo and not Heidegger, who was the acting director of SOLDIER.

Two yards to his right sat Sephiroth, who had also been summoned for a blood test. He was strapped and retrained in a similar manner.

"What are we doing here?" Cloud finally asked.

"You heard the order," Sephiroth replied. "It's a blood test." He paused. "Officially."

"And unofficially?" Cloud continued.

"I have never, at my time at SOLDIER, been ordered to take a blood test," Sephiroth said suspiciously.

"How come Zack doesn't have to take one?" Cloud asked.

"I don't know," Sephiroth answered. "I'm baffled by that myself."

A few moments later, Hojo entered the room. After thanking the two of them for coming, he immediately went to Cloud. He tied his arm and drew enough blood to fill a small vial.

"Ouch," Cloud said sarcastically.

He then did the same to Sephiroth, who displayed no reaction whatsoever.

And then, within a mere five minutes, it was over. Hojo unbound his two guinea pigs and walked away with the vials, without thanking them.

Cloud sat there for a few moments, contemplating what had just happened, as well as Hojo's strange antics. He had been told it was a routine health monitoring.

That did not ring true.

"Meet me at the bar in Wall Market," Sephiroth suddenly commanded.

"They won't let me in," Cloud replied. "I'm too young."

"I'll get you in," Sephiroth assured him. "There's something I really need to get off my chest."

"But why me?" Cloud asked. "We don't really know each other."

"It's about what just happened," Sephiroth replied.

"But it was just a blood test," Cloud protested.

"That's what Hojo wants you to think," Sephiroth insisted. "I'll explain later."

LATER...

Anyone passing through the sixty-seventh floor of the Shinra Headquarters would see Hojo sitting, seemingly harmlessly looking into the microscope.

In a view denied to everyone except for Hojo himself, two cells were under the microscope. Mind you, this is probably a good time to mention that this is not just a microscope you would study your cheek cells in the seventh grade. This is something Hojo invented. His microscope was a microscope in name only. In reality, it was actually a device used to analyze the nuclei of extracted cells. That, in turn, means it reads your DNA.

But that's where the fun just begins. The device also allows anyone who uses it to combine the DNA of two cells to synthesize a new genetic code. This is what Hojo wanted the blood test for.

So here we come upon Hojo eyeing two cells under his microscope. One of the cells belonged to Sephiroth. The other began to Cloud.

Once Hojo identified the cells, he immediately got to work. Slowly but carefully, he removed twenty-three chromosomes from Cloud's cell. He then removed twenty-three different chromosomes from Sephiroth's cell.

And then, he fused the cells together. I don't know how that thing works, but, at the end of the day, and as a result of the blood test, there was a brand new cell with a brand new genetic code.

And the new cell began to divide.

MEANWHILE...

"I'm sixteen," Cloud protested as he took a seat next to Sephiroth. "I'm not old enough to drink."

"Come on," Sephiroth insisted as he slid Cloud the beer. "Live a little. Do you know how many troopers don't even make it to twenty-one?"

It was Cloud's first time to a bar in his life. He was sixteen, and still had never learned to drive. He observed how there was a regular bar, where he and Sephiroth were seated. He could also see three or four square tables and a karaoke machine near the back.

"Well," Cloud continued, "I'm assuming you didn't just call me here for some friendly rendezvous."

Sephiroth gave Cloud a stern look.

"That son of a bitch doesn't want to test our blood," he began.

"Then why did he take it?" Cloud inquired.

"Because he doesn't expect us to come back from the Nibelheim mission," Sephiroth replied. "He wants our DNA on file."

"To clone us?" Cloud asked.

"Or worse," Sephiroth suggested.

"But why me?" Cloud wondered aloud. "I didn't even make SOLDIER."

"You are the president's son," Sephiroth pointed out.

"Then why not Rufus?" Cloud asked. "Why not draw his blood."

"The President wouldn't let Hojo get close enough to Rufus to take his blood."

Cloud, at this point, was finally compelled to drink his beer. Hojo was expecting him to die on the upcoming mission. It was a difficult thing to take in. Granted, he knew that being a Shinra trooper carried certain risks, and that SOLDIER was even more dangerous, but he had never been sent on a mission he had not been expected to come home from.

Then again, it was Hojo's opinion, and Hojo was known for some quite bogus opinions.

"Actually," Sephiroth continued, "I don't know what Hojo wants with your blood. Perhaps he knows something about you that we don't."

Cloud knew he wasn't quite normal (I can back that up; I knew Cloud as a kid), but he wondered how much he had to learn about himself.

"Maybe it's because we're going to Nibelheim?" Cloud suggested. "It's my hometown."

"Maybe," Sephiroth echoed, though he didn't seem to agree.

Now, unless you're under five (in which case I order you to close this journal and give it to your parents, as there's more nudity and implied sex in the coming chapters), or you've been living under a rock for the past five years, you'll know that Sephiroth goes insane on this mission. I was there and I saw it all.

It wasn't pretty.

LATER...

The cells had divided, and organs had started to develop. By the second hour, as Hojo watched in awe, the embryo had arms and legs.

By the third hour, the embryo had become viable, meaning its development was equivalent to the development of a nine-month-old, naturally occurring embryo. But it did not stop there.

The creation continued to grow rapidly. By the fourth hour, it had the body of a four-year old.

Hojo found it intriguing that the creation's hair was blue; it was a feature that neither Cloud nor Sephiroth had.

By the fifth hour, the creation had the body of a ten-year-old.

By the sixth, he (as both Cloud and Sephiroth had the Y chromosome, the creation would inevitably be male) had the body of a fifteen-year-old.

He finally stopped growing at the seven hour mark, with the body of a twenty-year-old.

Hojo was satisfied with his creation.

"With Sephiroth's savage, he can wipe out the entire senior staff," he said to himself. "With Cloud's humility, he will submit to me."

And the creation opened his eyes.

MEANWHILE...

Zack gently rubbed Aerith's bare shoulders as she sighed in contentment. It was a Thursday, and that meant that there was a game the next day. That, in turn, meant a four hour evening practice for Captain Gainsborough.

But that was over now. After a long day, they had decided to take a bath together.

Still, Aerith was quieter than usual. She seemed very melancholy, as of she was hurting inside.

"Everything okay?" Zack asked.

"I just realized it's September 6," she replied.

"September 6?" he inquired.

"It's Gehrig's birthday," she clarified. "She would have been eighteen today."

It didn't take Zack long to figure out what put Gehrig back on Aerith's mind. They were now talking about getting married. Gehrig, if she had lived, would have been her maid of honor.

Zack held Aerith close.

"Sorry," she apologized, "I can't dwell on the past.

"It's okay," he assured her as he kissed her cheek.

Eventually, they got out of the tub and dried each other off. They then walked into the bedroom with their arms around each other. Zack climbed into bed. Aerith put a pink tank top on (she always went to bed with at least a top on, as her tits somehow hurt the next morning if she slept completely in the buff), turned out the light, and joined him.

"You okay?" Zack asked.

"I think so," she replied as she lovingly wrapped her arms around her boyfriend and kissed him on the cheek. "Just a weak moment."

"You can have those with me," he reminded her.

"I know," she sighed as she rested her head against his shoulder.

LATER THAT NIGHT...

Zack was awakened in the middle of the night by the sound of Aerith getting out of bed. As he opened his eyes, he could see his girlfriend with her back turned towards him, rummaging through the dresser. He was baffled why she was doing so, but didn't really care. She was still only wearing the tank top, and he got a good show of her bare butt while she was rummaging, so he said nothing.

After a few minutes, Aerith found what she had been looking for; a printed selfie of herself and Gehrig. It was obvious the day had hit her hard. She spent the next few minutes simply staring at the picture.

"Zack," she eventually began, much to his surprise; he hadn't made a sound. "I really wanted her as my maid of honor...do you care who her replacement is?"

"Pick anyone you want," Zack assured her.

"Anyone?" she asked. "Anyone at all?"

"Anyone at all," he said.

"Can we...break tradition?" she asked, still facing away from him.

"I'm not traditional," Zack replied, though he wasn't quite sure what she meant by that. "You can even propose to me if you want."

"I can't do that!" she dismissed with a giggle. "I'm a girl!"

"How do you want to break tradition, then?" he asked.

"Just something I've been thinking about," Aerith replied as she put the selfie away and turned to smile at her boyfriend. "Tell you later?"

"Pick anyone," Zack repeated.

"Thanks," she said. "I just really needed that."

She then walked back over to the bed, and her face became serious.

"I'll be honest," she began. "I've been feeling kind of lonely today." She paused, and smiled at him. "Can we spoon?"

Zack nodded and turned on his side as Aerith climbed back into bed and under the covers, pressing the skin her exposed lower half against the skin of Zack's. It was a welcoming feeling for both of them.

"How'd you know I was awake?" Zack asked as he felt her take his right hand in both of hers.

"I can feel you watching me," she giggled.

"Nobody can feel anyone watching them," Zack insisted. "It's a myth."

"I can," she insisted.

"Stop lying before your pants catch on fire," he playfully warned.

"I'm not wearing any pants!" Aerith giggled.

Zack kissed her on the cheek and held her close.

"Hey, Zack?" she suddenly began. "One more thing before you pass out again?"

"What's that?"

"Who are you picking for your best man?" she asked.

"A buddy of mine from a couple of missions," Zack replied. "I met him in Modeoheim last January."

He was, of course, referring to Cloud.

"You have a new BFF?" Aerith asked.

"I suppose you could say that," he replied.

"Is he your age?" she inquired.

"He's sixteen," Zack replied.

"A baby?!" she exclaimed.

"That's only a year younger than you!" Zack pointed out. "Anyway, he's been filling the void since losing Angeal."

"I'm happy," she said. "But I've never met him."

"I'll introduce you to him," he continued. "I really hope you like him."

Be careful what you wish for, Zack.

THE NEXT EVENING...

September 7, 0002

Cloud was once again called somewhere. Only this time, it was the diner.

Zack, unlike Sephiroth, respected the fact that Cloud was underage. Hell, so was Zack!

"What's going on?" Cloud greeted as he sat down.

"I just need to vent," Zack replied. "It's my girlfriend."

Cloud was quite relieved; this didn't seem to be a gloomy discussion about how he was going to die again.

"What's going on?" asked Cloud.

"My parents have a villa on a lake between Gongaga and Nibelheim," Zack replied. "I'm taking her there the weekend before Nibelheim."

"That's not so bad," Cloud observed.

Of course, he didn't know the details.

"She thinks I'm going to propose to her," Zack explained. "I'm actually taking her there to soften the blow."

"About the mission in Nibelheim?" Cloud asked.

"You got it," Zack replied. "I'm not sure I'm coming back from this one."

Cloud's eyes widened. Now Zack was saying it, too. This was definitely something he found troubling.

"What do you mean?" Cloud asked

"This can't leave here," Zack warned.

"No problem," Cloud assured him.

"Some serious shit is about to go down," Zack began. "Sephiroth is thinking about deserting."

Cloud let it sink in. Something about him seemed suspicious, and Cloud wondered if he should tell him about the blood test.

"I don't know how or what he means by it," Zack continued. "There's a chance he's going to kill me in the process."

"Do you have to fight him?" Cloud asked.

"I hope not," Zack replied. "If he just walks away, than no. But somehow, I don't think it's going to be that simple."

Zack then wiped his forehead.

It wasn't easy for Cloud to watch; he looked up to Zack as brave and confident.

"But, anyways," Zack continued, hoping to lighten the mood, "you excited about going to your hometown?"

"Not really," Cloud replied.

"Not really?" Zack inquired. "Don't you have anyone back there?"

"Just my mom," Cloud answered.

"Just your mom?" Zack asked. "No siblings?"

Cloud shook his head.

"Anyone else?" Zack continued. "Girlfriend? Boyfriend? Casual friends?"

"It's kind of complicated," Cloud replied.

"Say no more," Zack conceded.

He then nursed his soda for a couple of minutes.

Zack thought about Aerith. She was fully convinced that she was getting a rock for her finger within the next few days.

_She shouldn't count on it_, he thought.

She was fully expecting to be Mrs. Fair before her nineteenth birthday.

_It looks beyond doubtful,_ he realized.

She was fully expecting him to come home from this mission and pick up where they left off.

_Nope._

He realized he needed to be sure that she was okay; that the grieving process would be as smooth as possible.

"Cloud," he began, "if something happens to me, can you take care of my girlfriend?"

"If I survive," Cloud replied, "sure thing."

"I'm even cool if she ends up falling in love with you," Zack said. "I want her to be happy."

_Not interested,_ Cloud thought.

There was somebody else on his mind.

Somebody else who he would be seeing...soon.


	47. The Results of the Blood Tests

Premonitions II: Crisis Core

Chapter 47: The Results of the Blood Tests

Now, since Hojo is not the unquestionable ruler of the world, you probably figured out that something went wrong with his plan.

The short story:

Sephiroth's savage? Yes. Cloud's humility? No.

The long story:

As the creation had developed lungs, he needed to be removed from the tank he had gestated within. Hojo thus drained the amniotic fluid from the tank, causing the creation to gently land on his feet. Hojo then raised the glass cylinder around the creation, causing him to feel the breeze for the first time in his life. The creation stood in his spot of birth, naked and dripping wet.

Hojo was first interested in the creation's cognitive abilities.

"Step forward," he commanded.

The creation covered his upper torso with his arms as his teeth chattered; he was obviously cold.

"Step forward," Hojo repeated, in a firmer tone of voice.

The creation put his right foot forward, followed by his left.

_Impressive,_ Hojo thought. _His motor development is quite advanced._

Hojo then decided to test him further.

"Sit in the chair," he commanded.

The creation walked over to the chair and sat in it.

_He seems to have fully functional cognitive abilities,_ Hojo observed. _But I wonder if he is verbal._

Hojo then held up his index finger.

"What is this?" he asked.

"Finger," the creation replied.

Hojo then displayed his entire hand.

"Hand," the creation said.

Hojo displayed his foot.

"Shoe," the creature announced.

Hojo was impressed. The creation was a mere few hours old and appeared to be fully verbal.

There was a simple explanation for this: Cloud's and Sephiroth's cognitive abilities and knowledge were copied into the creation. The DNA codes programmed the creation to grow to an age somewhere between Cloud's and Sephiroth's.

Hojo also wondered whether the creation...would have either of their memories.

He realized that there was one way to find out.

"What is your name?" he inquired.

The creation hesitated briefly.

"Ka..."

Hojo eyed the creation's mouth. He had cloned two individuals; he wondered who his creation thought he was.

"Kar...

It seemed as if he was having trouble with his l's.

"Karnak," the creation responded in full.

He was trying to say "Cloud," by the way. He had vague memories from at least one of his donors. What he might have inherited from his other donor was yet to be seen.

Hojo accepted the name; in reality; he was neither Cloud nor Sephiroth, but a completely new entity.

"Welcome to the world, Karnak," Hojo greeted. He then casually tossed him a shirt and pants. "Put these on."

MEANWHILE...

Aerith has previously told me I had to go to her games, so I did. Zack was there as well, but he vanished as soon as the game was over.

After the game, Aerith shot me a text.

"Meet me at MacArthur's," she commanded.

I agreed; I figured she and Zack would meet me there. I knew I would be a third wheel, though. That would take some getting used to.

AN HOUR LATER...

MacArthur's was a brew house, but they let minors in as long as they didn't order any beer.

Sure enough, Aerith was waiting for me by the front door. But what surprised me was that she was alone.

"Where's Zack?" I asked.

"He's not coming," Aerith replied. "He's talking with a friend about something."

As it turned out, my friend date with Aerith and Zack's man date with Cloud in the previous chapter took place simultaneously.

Aerith, by the way, was still in her cheer uniform.

"Girls will respect you a lot more if they see you hanging out with the cheer captain," she explained as we sat down. "By the way, I'm treating you."

"You don't have to," I insisted.

"I want to," she said. "I asked you here for a reason."

This was interesting; Aerith usually didn't have anything serious on her mind.

MacArthur's has the both the best burgers that money could buy, as well as the best chips and dip in the world, so I really had no problem with it.

"There were a couple of things I wanted to ask of you," she began after we ordered.

"Go ahead," I permitted.

Aerith gave me a sincere look, and I realized that it was serious. She seemed really concerned.

"Zack's going away," she said sadly.

I already knew that, of course, but I pretended that I didn't.

"Where to?" I asked.

"Nibelheim," she replied. "On the Western Continent."

"On a SOLDIER mission?" I asked.

Aerith nodded.

"Something about a mako reactor," she added. "And he seems really off."

"It doesn't seem too different than when he went to Modeoheim last year," I assured her. "I think he's nervous because his buddy Cloud and Sephiroth had to take a blood test."

"That shouldn't be anything," Aerith dismissed. "I have to pee in a cup every week so they know I'm not taking anything I shouldn't be."

That was more than I wanted to know, but, hell, Aerith was an open person. And now that I was really her only platonic friend to vent to, she became a lot more open with me.

"He might also be worried about losing Cloud," I suggested. "The way he lost Angeal."

"That's possible, I guess," she agreed. "But I've got more reasons to worry. Personally, I don't trust Sephiroth. He was friends with Genesis. I'm worried that he'll eventually turn on Zack."

I was silent. I was there, cloaked, when Sephiroth told Zack that he was thinking about deserting. But I didn't have the heart to tell her that; she would break down if I did.

Then, I got an idea.

"I could keep an eye on him," I offered.

Aerith's eyes widened.

"You mean go to Nibelheim?" she asked in surprise.

"My Uncle Brian lives there," I replied. "And he's been wanting me to visit forever."

That was true, by the way.

Aerith looked touched.

"You'll do that for me?"

I nodded.

"Tobin," she began, as her eyes became wet. "I mean, I know you'll be safe, but-"

"No I won't," I interjected. "I have a fifteen-year-old cousin who's been tormenting me all my life."

Aerith burst out laughing, allowing one tear to escape. After the laughter subsided, I decided to continue.

"You said there were two things you wanted to ask me," I reminded her.

Aerith became sincere, and she took a long, quiet look at her left hand.

"Zack and I are seriously talking about getting married," she said.

"That's great!" I replied, even though I felt that, being seventeen, she was way too young to be thinking about that. "When?"

"He has to propose to me first," she giggled. "But he's taking me to a villa his parents own on a lake right before he goes to Nibelheim. I just know he's going to pop the question there." She paused, and grinned wickedly. "So I have a surprise for him. I'm leaving my bikini behind. I want to be naked when he does it. That would be so romantic."

I began to blush; that was certainly more than I, as a guy friend, expected to hear from her.

"Relax," she insisted. "You're my best guy friend. I'm comfortable sharing that with you."

I found it understandable; again, I really was her only close platonic friend.

"So," she continued as she twiddled her thumbs, "this is what I wanted to ask you."

"Shoot," I said.

Aerith cracked her knuckles.

"Tobin," she said after looking me in the eyes, "will you be my man of honor?"

I'll admit I was and wasn't surprised at the same time. On one hand, I was her closest platonic friend. On the other hand, I have a penis. But, in any case, I had never been in a wedding, so...

"You bet!" I replied.

"Hooray!" she exclaimed.

She seemed happy, despite her concern over the Nibelheim mission.

"What do you want me to do?" I asked her.

"Nothing yet," she giggled. "But I promise I won't put you in a dress!"

Anyways, we finished eating, and Aerith, as she had said, paid the bill. We then stood up, and she threw her arms around me.

"Thanks for everything!" she giggled. She then broke the hug and stepped back. "You know, the place doesn't close for another hour. There's pool tables downstairs. Want to play?"

I was surprised here.

"You play pool?" I asked.

Aerith was the girly girl. It seemed unlike her.

"I'm addition to cheerleading and figure skating, yes, I do one thing a little less girly. One of my mom's old boyfriends showed me how."

We went downstairs and played. She wasn't kidding when she told me she could play. She had sunk the eight ball when three of my stripes were left.

Aerith didn't even seem to care that she had won the game. I first assumed that she was still worried about Zack and the notorious mission to Nibelheim.

It was then I noticed that Aerith was standing with her back turned to me, pool stick in hand. She was twiddling her fingers on the stick, as if she was gearing up to ask an unannounced third question.

"What's on your mind?" I asked her.

She twiddled her fingers again; she definitely had something on her mind.

"Tobin," she began, "if I had never met Zack...do you think we would have dated?"

I couldn't believe my ears. I had thought she had no desire to date me, even before she had met Zack.

Unless, of course, this had been something she had kept bottled up for two years.

It made me reanalyze how I felt about her. I had to put any feelings for her aside when she started dating Zack. Hell, I had to do that when I started dating Durham. But, as I was thinking this, I realized something: like I said, Aerith was still in her cheerleader uniform, and I was often, when she had her back turned toward me, checking out her legs.

In any event, I had to answer in some way.

"You're older than me," I pointed out.

It was the most neutral thing I could think of. She was four months my senior.

"True," she said.

That was a lame excuse. Gehrig was nine months older than me and wanted to date me.

Why she asked me that was beyond me.

Maybe I was a Plan B if Zack didn't make it back.

And, I realized that, if that was the case, just maybe I should take her up on it.

MEANWHILE...

On the sixty-seventh floor of the Shinra Headquarters, Karnak, sword in hand, sliced through virtual, computer generated Wutai soldiers with the greatest of ease. After this, he put his sword away, and turned to his creator.

"Impressive," Hojo complimented.

"Do you think I might have a chance at SOLDIER?" Karnak asked.

I feel sorry for him; he thought he was Cloud.

"There will be no need for SOLDIER," Hojo replied. "I'm disbanding it once our work is done."

"Once our work is done?" Karnak inquired. "You mean the Nibelheim mission?"

"That's cancelled for you," Hojo informed him. "You will soon be needed on the seventieth floor."

There was a few seconds of silence before Karnak turned a few degrees. Then, the silence was shattered.

"What happened?!" he demanded.

Hojo then realized that he was pointing at the mirror. He was observing his new height, along with his blue spikey hair.

"What did you do to me?!" Karnak continued.

As smart as Hojo was, I figured that he would be cautious enough to hide the fact that he had created him to wipe out his superiors.

But I was dead wrong there.

"I created you to destroy the president," Hojo stupidly announced.

"You created me to serve?" Karnak demanded.

"You are only a few hours old. You have some of Cloud's memories," Hojo continued. "You're not him. You are a clone of both him and Sephiroth. You having Cloud's memories was an accidental side effect."

"No!" Karnak protested as he collapsed to his knees. "I'm sixteen! I'm from Nibelheim!"

"Who is you mother?" Hojo inquired.

"Jenova," Karnak replied. "She died in childbirth."

Hojo began to cackle.

"You find that amusing?" Karnak demanded.

"Claudia Strife is Cloud's mother," Hojo replied, still cackling.

Karnak froze in terror, completely stunned.

"Y-you're right," he softly stammered as he rose to his feet.

Karnak then dropped to his knees, almost hyperventilating.

"You can still have a purpose," Hojo assured him. "Our president and all the leading executives are a threat to the planet. If you could employ your fighting skills-"

"NO!" shouted Karnak at the top of his lungs as he sprang to his feet and drew his sword.

Hojo quickly staggered back; it was one of the few times he was genuinely frightened.

But Karnak was not interested in Hojo. Instead, he turned to Hojo's "microscope." He quickly took his sword and slashed it in two.

"Karnak?!" Hojo exclaimed.

Karnak did not stop. He made his way through the floor towards the stairs, taking his sword and destroying every machine in his path.

Hojo, unarmed, did not dare pursue him. He listened to Karnak descend the stairs before he moved again. He then looked around the room. Countless machines had been slashed. Wires were sparkling everywhere.

And then, he began to hear footsteps on the stairs again, followed by a shadow appearing from around the corridor.

_He's coming back for me,_ Hojo thought.

Then, the shadow became more feminine, and its owner quickly came into view.

"What happened in here?" Scarlet demanded.

"Equipment malfunction," Hojo replied.

Scarlet scanned the room, eyeing the sliced machines and electrical sparks.

"Equipment malfunction?" she asked skeptically.

"It was a computer virus that spread through all machines," Hojo explained. "I neutralized it."

"Call a cleanup crew," Scarlet ordered through her walkie.

Hojo wiped the sweat from his forehead. At this point, a verbal warning would be nothing compared to Karnak slicing him to pieces.

"Computer virus, my ass," Scarlet dismissed. She then made eye contact with Hojo. "I'm about to have a wardrobe malfunction. My office, ten minutes. And I won't tell anyone."

With that, Scarlet turned around, slid aside one of her dress straps, and walked toward the stairs.

Hojo then looked out the window. He could see Karnak leaving through the front entrance. No alarms had sounded; apparently, nothing more had happened.

As Hojo watched, Karnak disappeared down the street.

Seconds later, Karnak was gone.

Hojo sighed in relief.

Now the world could deal with him.


	48. On the Lake

Premonitions II: Crisis Core

Chapter 48: On the Lake

September 19, 0002

I stood at the enterance to Nibelheim. The wooden arch was still there, along with the broken-down truck that had been there since I was little. At the center of the town was the well. To the north, I could see the Shinra Mansion.

I didn't want to be here. My Uncle Brian always wanted to see me, but the feeling wasn't mutual. Still, I had promised Aerith I would look after Zack. Also, Zack's mom was paying me to take pictures and send them to her, letting her know he was safe. You probably forgot that, didn't you?

So the reason I'm not a big fan of Uncle Brian is because the abstinence-only crowd was right all this time: sex kills. No, sex didn't kill Uncle Brian, although (spoiler alert) he's dead now. It killed my Aunt Claire instead.

The long story short, Aunt Claire was a stay-at-home mom who overspent, much to Uncle Brian's resentment. He dealt with the resentment by having an affair with a younger woman. He ended up falling in love with her, and demanded a divorce from Claire.

The good news was that Uncle Brian came to his senses, ended the affair, and decided to call off the divorce. The bad news was, before he could tell Aunt Claire, she drove off a cliff (either intentionally or unintentionally; nobody knows for sure) and plummeted to her death.

But, hell, I remembered the real reason I was in Nibelheim, so I went up to Uncle Brian's door and knocked.

"Tobin!" greeted Uncle Brian. "It's been a while!"

It was the calm before the storm.

MEANWHILE...

Zack finished dressing and stepped out into the kitchen of his apartment. Aerith was standing there, wearing jeans and a Sector Five Cheerleading tee. She had a huge smile on her face.

_This is the day,_ she thought to herself. _I'll be going to the lake a girlfriend and leaving a fiancée._

"Ready?" he asked.

"Totally!" she exclaimed as she placed her hands on his shoulders and kissed him.

Zack tried to hide the sadness he felt; he knew what she was thinking, and he knew the potential results of the mission.

LATER...

Aerith gazed in amazement as she stepped out the back patio of the cottage by the lake.

The lake was huge, surrounded by only woods and the cottage. She had never seen a place that remote in her life.

"And your parents own this?" she exclaimed. "This whole lake?"

"The cottage," Zack replied. "And nobody else lives around here."

"Why don't they live here?" she asked.

"It's too remote," he answered as he led her to the boat.

"We're going on a boat ride?" she asked with a smile.

"I thought we could go swimming in the lake," Zack suggested as he stripped to his black swimming trunks.

Aerith got a naughty grin on her face as they reached the boat. It was time to put what she had told me about the other day into practice.

"Shit!" she exclaimed, pretending to be upset. "I forgot my bikini!"

"That's okay," Zack assured her. "We can just go for a boat ride."

"Wait a minute," Aerith said. "Nobody uses the lake but you, right?"

"And my parents," he clarified.

"I've got an idea," she announced.

"What's that?" he asked.

Smiling, Aerith pulled her shirt off and tossed it aside. She then reached back, unhooked her bra, and tossed it on her shirt, allowing her breasts to spring free.

"You like skinny dipping?" Zack asked with a naughty grin.

"I've never done it before!" she giggled as she unzipped her jeans and allowed them to fall to her ankles. She then slid her panties down and stepped out of them as well.

"But you need to put this on," Zack warned as he handed her an orange life vest.

Aerith gave him a cross look.

"There's a dangerous undertow," Zack warned as he put his own on. "Or a fun undertow. Depending on whether you wear one."

"My girls will be confined," she groaned as she slipped her life vest on.

Zack sat in the driver's seat as Aerith sat in one of the seats on the side of the boat. He backed the boat out from the dock and began to drive it. After about ten minutes, they were at the middle of the lake. Zack stopped the boat.

Aerith stood up and scanned the scenery. It was beautiful in every direction. This would be the perfect spot for a proposal. She began to get goosebumps.

And then, Zack stood up, walked over to her, and looked her in the eyes.

"So, Aerith," he began.

Her heart began to accelerate.

_Is this it?_ she thought.

"There's something I need to mention," he continued.

With that, he quickly went over to his discarded pants and began to rummage through the pockets.

_This is it!_ Aerith thought to herself as she put her hands over her mouth. _These are my last moments as just his girlfriend!_

Zack continued to rummage through his pockets for a few more moments. He then returned to Aerith, concealing something in his hands, and noticed she was covering her mouth.

"You okay?" he asked.

She could only nod.

He then opened his hands.

Aerith's heart sank immediately.

In his hands were two white pills.

"What are those for?" she asked, trying to hide her disappointment.

"Motion sickness," he replied as he handed her the pills, followed by a water bottle. "You'll get it from the undertow if you don't take them."

"Thank you," she said.

_Oh well,_ she thought as she took the pills and a drink._ Later, for sure._

Zack went into his pockets again, but Aerith did not get her hopes up. Sure enough, he pulled out his cell phone.

"Selfie?" he asked. "With the lake in the background?"

"Sure," she replied.

They cuddled together and smiled as Zack took the selfie, and then gave Aerith a chance to look at it.

It showed them from the waist up, with both their upper halves covered by their life vests.

"Is this okay for social media?" he asked.

"Yeah, it's okay," she replied. "No vagina."

"Check out the water," Zack suggested as he went to put his phone away.

Aerith walked to the edge of the boat. The water was typical dark lake water and nothing special.

Zack then saw his chance and pushed Aerith's bare butt with his hand, sending her into the water.

"Zack!" she exclaimed at the top of her lungs.

"What?" he asked innocently. "The life vest will keep you afloat!"

"It's freezing!" she cried as she huddled herself for warmth. "You're the worst boyfriend ever!"

"That's just the heat of the moment!" he laughed.

"Get your butt in here!" she shouted.

Zack smiled, tightened his trunks, and entered the waters with a cannonball, splashing Aerith in the process.

"What is it with you?" she sighed with her arms folded. "Tormenting a poor girl like me?"

"Because it's funny," he replied, laughing.

Aerith then swam over to him and placed her hands on his shoulders through his life vest.

"Then maybe we should get...romantic?" she suggested with a smile.

She then kissed him, and their tongues met.

Aerith felt a wave of love and connection go through her.

_Maybe he didn't propose yet_, she thought._ But it's still romantic. Count your blessings, girl._

They continued to kiss deeply for some time.

"I love you," she whispered in between kisses.

She eventually stopped kissing him and smiled.

"I don't feel an undertow," she said.

"Just wait for it," Zack insisted.

And then, suddenly, the two lovers were flung four yards away from the boat.

Aerith screamed and closed her eyes as she held onto Zack for dear life. Yet when the movement stopped, and she slowly opened them, she saw his face, and immediately felt safe and secure in his arms.

"I guess that wasn't so bad," she giggled.

They kissed deeply once more. A few minutes later, the undertow flung them again, this time towards the boat. Aerith closed her eyes and held onto Zack again, though she felt more confident this time. Zack, meanwhile, held onto her tightly so she would feel secure.

When the movement stopped, Aerith again opened her eyes and smiled.

"Did I ever tell you you make me feel like the luckiest girl in the world?" she asked as she placed her hands on his cheeks and deeply kissed him again.

She was still kissing him when the undertow flung them again, this time away from the boat. She did not stop kissing him. Instead, she pressed her tongue against his until the movement stopped.

"This is so fun!" she exclaimed as she gently resented her hands on his life vest-covered shoulders.

The young couple smiled at each other, simply gazing into each other's faces.

"Damn, your eyes are beautiful," Zack said.

"Thanks!" she said. "Nobody ever compliments my eyes!"

"What do they usually compliment?" he asked.

"My butt," Aerith replied sheepishly.

The two kissed again.

And then, Aerith's smile was gone. She could not block out the reality forever. Slowly, she pulled him in for a hug.

Moments later, she saw the boat again. She was so fixated on his departure that she did not even notice the undertow.

"When do you leave?" she asked.

"Tomorrow," he replied, as he lovingly stroked her hair. "Bright and early."

Tears soon began to fall from Aerith's eyes.

"I don't want to lose you," she said as she pulled one of his hands to the surface and held it in hers.

"You won't," he assured her as he kissed her on the cheek.

"I booked a hotel for us," she said. "On prom night."

"I remember," Zack said.

"I figured that as long as we're booked with something, nothing bad could happen to us, right?" she asked.

"You got it," he assured her as he kissed her again. "Want to get back on the boat?"

"I think I would," she agreed.

Zack climbed onto the boat first. He then turned around, reached down, and helped his girlfriend up. Unfortunately, after raising her a mere foot, he "accidentally" let go, sending her splashing in the lake again.

"Zack!" Aerith shouted. "This is a dick move!"

"My hands are too slippery!" Zack defended.

"Yeah, right!" she retorted.

Aerith remained in her spot for a few moments. She then flung her bare right leg over the edge of the boat and pushed herself up. She then helped herself to her feet. Looking cross, she folded her arms.

"You just wanted the view, didn't you?" She playfully accused.

"That also," Zack replied with a guilty look on his face. He did have a nice aerial view of her naked lower half as she helped herself up.

Aerith giggled and took a drink from her water bottle. She then place her hands on the small of her back and smiled at her boyfriend. Gradually, the smile began to fade.

"What's on your mind?" Zack inquired.

"My love," she began, "I don't mean to judge, but I think Sephiroth is the crisis' core."

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"He's old friends with that Genesis," Aerith continued. "You don't think he might be trying to protect him?"

"I dunno," Zack replied. "But I'm not worried. My sword is bigger than his."

Aerith then placed her hands on her hips and gave Zack a cross look; along came another inappropriate time.

"You're really giving me blue balls here," she said. "Telling me how big you sword is and all."

"Oh, am I?" Zack teased.

"Well," Aerith continued as she went up to Zack and pulled his trunks down, "are we going to do it on the boat or not?"

For reasons you can probably guess, I'll skip ahead.

Zack slipped his trunks back on and sat in the driver's seat, steering the boat back towards the shore.

Aerith sat in one of side seats on the boat, drinking her water bottle, having declined to put her clothes back on. She was still hoping for a proposal, and was adamant about being naked when it happened.

She then realized that maybe she could lead the conversation into it.

"What do want to do this summer?" she asked as placed her water bottle to her side and put her hands on her knees. "After we graduate, I mean."

"I'm quitting SOLDIER in June," Zack said.

"And?" she asked with a smile as she twiddled her fingers on her bare knees.

"We can run away together!" Zack reminded her as the dock came into view. "We were going to leave Midgar, remember?"

"Do you think we could maybe live here?" Aerith asked as the boat began to slow down. "This is bigger than all of Gongaga!"

"My parents don't actually own the whole lake," Zack replied as he parked the boat and shut it off. "Just the only house on the lake."

"They would practically own the lake," she corrected as she stood up.

"In a way, I suppose," agreed Zack as he stood up and took off his life vest.

He then climbed off the boat and onto the dock.

"Excuse you!" the soprano called to him.

Zack turned to see Aerith standing on the edge of the boat with her hands on her hips.

"Your not going to help a girl onto the dock?"

Zack reached out both his hands.

Aerith giggled as she took both of them in hers and climbed onto the dock.

"You left your clothes on the boat," Zack observed.

"They're not going anywhere," she said as she took his hand.

"What if it rains?" he asked as they walked back to the house.

"There's a dryer, right?" she asked.

"There is," he replied as he opened the patio door and signaled for her to go in.

"Such a gentleman!" she said with a smile as she passed through the door.

As she did so, Zack playfully smacked her bare butt.

"Ooh!" she said with a smile as she briefly looked at Zack.

He followed her into the lounge, where they both stopped for a moment.

And then, she began laughing hysterically.

"What's so funny?" he asked.

"I peed in the lake," Aerith giggled.

"When?!" Zack asked nervously.

"While I was crying, right before you helped me up," she replied with a devilish smile.

"That's nasty!" he playfully snapped.

"Well, I figured, since I was skinny dipping, I'd be able to get away with it," she said.

"You weren't actually skinny dipping," Zack informed her. "You had a life vest on."

"Fun sucker," she playfully groaned.

Zack then turned around, slipped off his trunks, and began to walk up the stairs.

"I going for a shower," he announced.

"Coming!" she happily agreed.

She then spotted her cell phone sitting on the coffee table.

"I-I'll catch up with you," she said.

"You okay?" he asked.

"Yeah," she replied. "Give me a few minutes?"

Zack nodded and disappeared up the stairs.

After hearing the shower start, Aerith grabbed her cell phone. And she started to call...me.

"Aerith?" I greeted over the phone. "You okay?"

"Not really," she replied. "He didn't propose."

"I'm sorry," I said. "Maybe later tonight?"

"Maybe," she sighed. "Hopefully. He leaves tomorrow morning."

"How's everything else going?" I asked.

"We did it in the boat," she whispered.

I sighed.

"I really didn't want to know that!" I reprimanded. "Besides, that can give him a really nasty bacterial infection!"

"B-O-A-T! Boat!" she corrected. She then sighed. "Boys."

"Shouldn't you be spending time with your man?" I asked her.

"I should," she replied, "but I really need to vent something."

"Go ahead."

"He's going on a really dangerous mission," Aerith informed me.

It wasn't the first time I had heard that, even out of her mouth.

"All missions are dangerous," I assured her.

"I was born at night, but it wasn't last night," Aerith replied. "This feels...different."

"No two missions are alike," I said, trying to comfort her.

"This is really scary," she said. "I have this sick feeling that he's not coming back from this one.

I could tell she was crying, and I realized that nothing I could say could reassure her. So I asked.

"What's bothering you about it?" I asked.

"Sephiroth," she replied. "I've seen videos of him on social media. He's got this cold vibe. He seems like he would kill anyone who got in his way. I would die a happy girl if I could somehow prove to everyone that Sephiroth is a dangerous human being!"

"Don't forget," I replied, "I'm in Nibelheim right now. Maybe I could...follow them. I could make sure Zack's okay." I then paused. "Maybe I could...intervene if something goes wrong."

"You'd do that?!" she exclaimed in surprise.

"Of course I would," I assured her.

I suppose I was only half honest, but it wasn't a big risk. Sephiroth couldn't hurt what he couldn't see, right?

"You're awesome!" she complimented. "But now I need to go upstairs and shower with Zack. I'm kind of standing naked in the lounge."

"TMI!" I sighed.

"Hey, you're my best guy friend, remember?" she reminded me.

"True, true," I said. "I guess I'll talk to you later then."

"Bye," she giggled.

Aerith stood alone in the parlor, briefly rubbing her bare butt before putting her hands on the small of her back.

She felt somewhat reassured, but not completely.

And then, she realized she still had her life vest on. She slipped it off and ran for the stairs.

MEANWHILE...

I put my phone down. I had been at my uncle's house, sitting at the kitchen table.

"I think that girl likes you," Uncle Brian said.

"She has a boyfriend," I replied.

"Things change," Uncle Brian insisted. "She's comfortable telling you about her sex life."

"You heard that?" I exclaimed; I was quite surprised he could.

"There's three things that are dying out," he explained. "Special effects that can't be duplicated by a computer, bands that make millions on a farewell tour and actually retire, and cell phones that can only be heard by the people using them!"

I groaned, realizing there was nothing to hide. I slowly began to scan the room, hoping to see something I could change the subject with.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a pool out the window. That belonged to Uncle Brian's neighbor, Claudia. She was a free-spirit who occasionally skinny-dipped back there.

Yeah, I know there's a lot of skinny-dipping in this chapter, but I'll probably kill the mood when I mention that Claudia was Cloud's mother. According to Uncle Brian, she would even give Cloud swimming lessons in the nude when he was little. Which, in turn, meant he watched her.

Which brings me to a memorable anecdote.

FLASHBACK...

Back when I was fourteen, Cloud was actually over at Uncle Brian's.

Claudia, as Cloud grew older, decided to be a little more modest and put on a bikini or even a one-piece. But this particular time, since Cloud was away, she had decided to revert to her old ways.

Claudia Stife, by the way, for all intents and purposes, was the biggest milf I ever knew. She was hot, I won't lie, and sometimes I'd think about her.

But that's the most I'll reveal. Long story short, with Cloud gone, Claudia decided to go skinny dipping in her pool. Mind you, that was outdoors, just in case you didn't figure that out. And we caught Uncle Brian watching the whole thing while married to Aunt Claire.

Like I said, Claudia Strife was the milf of the milfs. If Cloud ever developed an Oedipal complex, I'd forgive him. But Uncle Brian was married, and he should only be looking at Aunt Claire, who was also attractive (she wasn't my aunt by blood, so I can say that, pervert).

So, one day, out of the corner of my eye, I see Brian staring at the naked Claudia Strife. He noticed me, and his face turned bright red once he knew he was caught.

"You were looking!" I accused.

"I was not!" Uncle Brian poorly defended.

"I already caught you," I told him. "Not that I can blame you. She is hot."

"That's my mom," Cloud reminded me, in an annoyed tone of voice.

Meanwhile, Brian was beaten, and he knew it.

"You can't tell Aunt Claire about this," he pleaded.

"Don't do it again," Cloud warned. "That is my mom."

"There you have it," I added. "Don't stare at her vagina. Stare at Cloud. He did come out of it, you know."

Cloud and Uncle Brian blushed in unison.

"So can I trust you wont say a thing?" the latter asked me.

I nodded.

He then turned to the spikey-haired thirteen-year-old standing to my left.

"And you?"

Cloud nodded as well.

He then turned his head even further.

"And you?" he asked.

A raven-haired twelve-year-old girl in a green dress nodded.

"You can trust all of us," Tifa assured him.

END FLASHBACK...

Suddenly, I heard the front door open. I realized right away that the calm before the storm was over.

"Oh, Tobin!" I heard the voice call followed by approaching footsteps.

The voice that belonged to the girl who tortured me all throughout my childhood.

"Don't hide!" the voice warned as the footsteps grew louder.

A moment later, a fifteen-year-girl appeared in the doorway. She had dark, raven hair, and was wearing jeans and a green tee shirt. She looked directly at me, and gave me a wicked grin.

"Hey, Tifa," I greeted.

LATE THAT NIGHT...

I unrolled my sleeping bag a few feet from Tifa's desk.

Tifa was in her pajamas, sitting on her bed.

"How's your roommate?" she asked. "The girl? Who's always on your case?"

"Cissnei?" I replied. "She's fine."

"And yet you're away from her and still stuck with a girl for the weekend!" she laughed. "I suppose she doesn't terrorize you in your sleep like I inevitably will."

"She's usually goes into her room and locks the door at this time," I mentioned.

"Well, that's no fun," Tifa pointed out. "She's not growing a meth lab in there, is she?"

"No way!" I laughed. "She said she sleeps like a cartoon animal. And I've spent the last two years trying to figure out what that means."

Tifa began to giggle, and cover her mouth.

"I suppose you know what that means?" I asked her.

"You suppose right!" she replied as she continued to laugh.

"Well, what does it mean?" I naturally asked.

"Shirt, no pants," Tifa replied.

"That's what that means?"

She nodded.

"That's weird," I muttered. "Really weird."

Tifa immediately shook her head.

"Tobin, do you have any idea how uncomfortable and confining pants can be for a girl?"

"I meant why doesn't she just sleep naked?" I clarified. "Why does she wear a shirt?"

"It catches sweat," Tifa answered. "So guess what?"

"What?"

"Shinra's paying me to be the guide for the SOLDIERs when they get here," she announced.

"Nice," I said.

It made sense; Tifa knew the mountain pretty well. When Aunt Claire died, she stormed off to the mountain and ended up getting herself nearly killed. Now she's the mountain's expert.

"Oh," Tifa continued as she got up off her bed, "I've got to show you something."

She walked over to her closet and began to rummage through it. Eventually, she pulled out a rather small outfit, consisting of a crop-top, crop-vest, a mini-skirt, boots, and a cowgirl hat. It looked like she got it from either a Halloween store or an erotic boutique. Neither would surprise me.

"What do you think?" Tifa asked with a grin.

"It's...nice," I replied.

"It shows my belly button off," she added.

"I noticed," I said. "Hoping to impress the SOLDIER boys?"

"Actually," Tifa replied as she put the cowgirl outfit back in the closet, "an old friend is going to be with them."

She was, obviously, referring to Cloud. But she thought he had joined SOLDIER. She was going to be in for one hell of a disappointment.

"You're dressing like that for an old friend?" I asked her.

"Well," she replied sheepishly, "I love crop tops, but my dad hates them. You can't tell him, okay?"

"No problem," I agreed.

I knew she and Cloud were best friends since they were little. But now it was starting to look as if Tifa wanted them to become more than that.

This could get interesting.

THE NEXT DAY...

September 20, 0002

I woke up the next morning. As the world came into focus, I turned over in my sleeping bag to see a pair of two brown-and-white boots staring me in the face.

I gasped, and looked up.

Tifa was standing over me, wearing that cowgirl outfit, grinning.

"You still fall for that!" she giggled.

She was then good enough to help me to my feet. She stepped back and put her hands on her hips.

"So what do you think?" she asked. "Think he'll notice?"

"I know he'll notice," I assured her.

MEANWHILE, AT THE SOUTH ENTRANCE...

"So, how does it feel?" Sephiroth asked. "To be home after all this time? I have no hometown. I wouldn't know."

Cloud was silent. He was scanning the town, hoping not to see anyone who might recognize him.

"Uh...what about family?" Zack asked, mainly to break the silence.

"My mother's name is Jenova," Sephiroth replied. "She died shortly after I was born. My father..."

He didn't finish. Instead, he began to laugh.

There was something about that laugh that bothered me. He had already started to go nuts.

"Why am I talking about this?" Sephiroth continued. "Come on, let's go."

Sephiroth, Cloud, and the other trooper walked into Nibelheim.

Zack stood behind for a few moments. He seemed troubled as well.

"Sephiroth's mother's name is Jenova?" he said to himself.

Realizing that he couldn't keep the other three waiting, Zack ran into Nibelheim, joining them at the door to the inn.

"Are you one of the SOLDIER people who've come to investigate?" called an alto that only Cloud and I would recognize.

Zack turned to see Tifa standing three yards behind him. He scanned her for a moment; I think he might have been checking her out.

"Yeah, my name is Zack, and I'm with SOLDIER," Zack greeted. "First Class, mind you, First Class!"

Cloud's heart was beating faster; she was obviously looking for him.

"Huh," Tifa replied as she put her hand to her mouth, clearly disappointed.

"What do you mean 'huh?'" Zack inquired.

"Are there a lot of SOLDIER First Classes?" Tifa asked.

"Nope," Zack replied. "We're a small, elite group."

"They only sent two?" Tifa then inquired. She had to be sure.

"Yeah, me and Sephiroth," Zack informed her.

Tifa turned around.

"Uh-huh," she mumbled.

She began to walk away. She then turned around and looked Zack in the eyes. It seemed like she had more to say. But, then, she turned around again and ran off.

"Weird girl," Zack muttered.

Tifa is weird, by the way, but not because of this.

If Aerith is overtly open and sexual, Tifa is overtly the reverse. To the best of my knowledge, she's still a virgin. Hell, she has to be. If she dies a virgin, I'd be less than surprised.

"Ever since I was five," you'd most certainly hear her say, "nobody's seen me naked but me behind closed doors."

That was the truth. She wouldn't even let anyone see her underwear. She'd even go into the bathroom stall if she had to change for gym class.

I almost think it's a crime against nature. If she wasn't my cousin, I'd say she's hot. She could have any man she wants. But she doesn't seem to want any man.

Save one.

Meanwhile, Zack, Sephiroth, and the two troopers gathered outside the hotel.

"We depart for the reactor at dawn," Sephiroth announced. "Make sure to get plenty of sleep. Only one of you needs to keep watch. Make sure you get some rest as well."

Then one of the troopers, who was actually Cloud, approached him.

"Ah, that's right," Sephiroth reminded himself. "You have permission to go visit family and friends, if you so wish."

Cloud walked off and knocked the house next to Uncle Brian's.

I could see the door answered by a familiar blond woman in her early forties.

"Yes?" she asked.

Cloud sighed and removed his mask, revealing himself.

"Cloud?!" she exclaimed before throwing her arms around him. "Welcome home, Cloud!"

"Hi, mom," he greeted, without hugging back.

"Come, come," Claudia implored as she broke the embrace. "Let me take a look at you." She scanned her son for a few moments. "You look so handsome. So this is a SOLDIER uniform?"

"Mom, I," Cloud replied before the door closed.

MEANWHILE...

Uncle Brian confronted Tifa as soon as she got in the house. She had been hoping to sneak up to her room and change, but Uncle Brian happened to be waiting in the living room.

He gave her the nastiest look I had ever seen him give anyone.

"You dressed that way because you were expecting that pathetic scumbag to show up!" Brian grunted.

"No," Tifa lied as she quickly shook her head. "It's kind of hot out."

"Enough of the bullshit," Brian snapped. "You're fifteen. That's not how a fifteen-year-old girl is supposed to dress!"

"There's no law saint you have to be eighteen to wear a crop top!" Tifa retorted. "I actually looked that up!"

"Do whatever," Brian snorted. "Hump a married man, for all I care."

I know why he said that; he felt like shit after what he did to Aunt Claire. Like I said, Uncle Brian was a cheat. The last thing he wanted was for Tifa to follow in his footsteps.

MEANWHILE...

Cloud lay on his old bed as his mother continued to observe him.

"My, how you've grown," Claudia said. "I'll bet the girls never leave you alone."

"Not really," Cloud replied.

I wasn't surprised. Cloud's only five foot seven. Not exactly a chick magnet. Of course, if I didn't mention it before, my cousin liked him. But I'll elaborate on that later.

"I'm worried about you," Claudia continued. "There are a lot of temptations in the city. I'd feel a lot better if you just settled down and had a nice girlfriend."

"I'm all right," Cloud dismissed.

"You should have an older girlfriend," Claudia suggested. "One that'll take care of you. I think that would be the perfect type for you."

"I'm not interested," Cloud dismissed.

I think that was Claudia's way of telling him not to date Tifa. Tifa is a year younger than Cloud, so that would eliminate her. I don't know if that was really the case, but, at the end of this journal, Cloud does have an older girlfriend. I'll leave it at that for now.

AT THE INN...

The inn in Nibelheim was a small, modest abode, with the restaurant and front desk in the same room, and few paintings on the lobby wall.

Zack climbed the stairs to find Sephiroth in the hallway, staring out the window. It was strange; nothing was visible out any back window in Nibelheim but fields, mountains, and dangerous creatures that would occasionally tread them.

"What are you looking at?" Zack asked, well aware that there was nothing to see.

"This landscape," Sephiroth replied. "I could swear I've seen it before."

OUTSIDE...

Tifa and I were laying on our backs in the grass in her backyard, facing the mountains.

She had changed back into her tee shirt and jeans, and had seemed down ever since. At first, I thought it was because Uncle Brian had yelled at her. Then, she volunteered why.

"He didn't come," Tifa sighed. "I figured they would have to send him. He's from Nibelheim, and he'd know the area.

"Maybe they'll send reinforcements," I suggested.

"Maybe," she said.

She seemed to have a lot on her mind, which was unusual for Tifa. Usually, when I was around, all she ever thought about was tormenting me.

"I like him," she continued. "I've liked him since I was twelve."

But I already knew that. Anyone over five could've guessed that one, considering how badly she wanted to see him.

It would be nice; they grew up together. It's not like they would be in for any surprises. I wouldn't know; I had no neighbors growing up and thus no friends. My first real friends were Logan, who had moved away, and Durham, who had dated me, dumped me, eloped, and more or less disappeared off the face of the earth.

And then, it hit me like a kick in the nuts. Tifa was going to guide them to the Nibelheim reactor tomorrow. If Sephiroth did his thing then, she would be in as much danger as Zack and Cloud were.

I would definitely be cloaking myself and following them tomorrow.

THE STUFF THAT MIGHT HAVE GONE UNNOTICED:

This chapter marks the first appearance of Tifa since her attack in Gongaga, though, as this sequence occurs years earlier, it still does not explain her fate.

For anyone who may have forgot, the first seventeen chapters feature the twenty-year-old Tifa in the present, altered timeline, simultaneously looking for her father and planning her wedding. That sequence was originally going to follow the the Crisis Core story arc, but I had it before that to introduce all of the major characters within the first twenty chapters. Otherwise, readers would be over a third of the way through the fic and only then meeting Tifa, whom this story largely focuses on, even though she was absent for the last thirty chapters.


	49. The Mountain

Premonitions II: Crisis Core

Chapter 49: The Mountain

September 21, 0002

In the morning, I woke up before Tifa. I relieved myself, showered, and brushed my teeth. I then dressed and stared into the mirror.

_This is the day,_ I thought. No, I was not planning on an engagement in the nude. I was planning on Sephiroth turning traitor. I was fearing for Zack's safety, and, considerably worse, for Tifa's. It really hit me when I realized that I didn't really have a plan for when that moment arrived.

And suddenly, I heard a pounding on the door.

"Tobin!" called Tifa. "You in there?"

"I'll be right out," I called back.

"You better not be taking a dump!" she warned. "You know how the men in the family stink up the bathroom!"

I sighed.

I was really starting to miss Cissnei.

LATER...

Zack and Cloud were sitting in their hotel room, awaiting instructions from Sephiroth, when the former's cell phone buzzed from a text.

It was from Aerith.

"I shaved this morning. Completely," the text read.

"Lol you don't have a beard," Zack texted back.

"Down there xoxo," it read.

"Homesick already?" Cloud teased from behind.

"Cloud!" Zack exclaimed as he quickly put his phone away. "How much did you see?!"

"Everything," Cloud replied with a grin. "Why would she do that for, anyway?"

"Lots of girls do that," Zack replied. He then sighed. "It's a comfort thing. You really need a significant other."

"No thanks," Cloud replied. "My mom wants me to date an older girl. One who will 'take care of me.'"

"Remember what I told you, if something happens to me," he reminded him. "You mom will be happy." He stood up. "I guess you already have an idea what her lady parts look like."

Before Cloud could respond, was then a knock on the door, and moments later, Sephiroth appeared.

"Locker room talk, gentlemen?" he inquired.

Cloud and Zack have him a sheepish look.

OUTSIDE...

"If I knew this was going to happen, I would've made mountain climbing off limits," sighed Uncle Brian as the four visitors assembled outside.

"I was so nervous, I couldn't get any sleep," I heard Cloud mumble.

"Late again," said the other trooper, presumably referring to the guide.

"Once the guide gets here," Sephiroth said, "we're heading out."

"Listen to me, Sephiroth," began Uncle Brian. "In case something happens..."

"Trust me," Sephiroth interjected.

"I'll be all right, dad!" Tifa assured him as she approached the group. "I have two men from SOLDIER with me."

Uncle Brian sighed. He was so worried for her physical safety that he did not even object to the fact that she was wearing that cowgirl outfit again.

"I'm Tifa," she greeted. "Nice to meet you!"

"Tifa!" Zack exclaimed. "You're our guide?"

"At your service!" she replied. "Nobody is a better guide than me in this town."

"But it's too dangerous!" Zack protested. "We can't get you involved in something like this

"She'll be fine, if you protect her," Sephiroth assured him.

"Mr. Sephiroth!" called a man holding a digital camera. "Please let me take one picture for a memento! Tifa, can you ask him for me too?"

Zack and Tifa got in the picture. Sephiroth did so, most certainly against his wishes.

"Cheeeeese!" said the cameraman as he took the picture.

Sephiroth immediately got the hell out of there.

"Great, thank you!" said the cameraman. "I'll give each of you a copy once I get it developed!"

The five of them then began their trek through the mountain. Several feet in, a bat-like creature attacked, and Zack knocked it out cold with the butt of his sword.

Cloud went over to examine it.

"Stay back, it's just knocked out," Zack warned. "It could wake up and start chowing down on you!"

"You could've just chopped its head off," Tifa said. "Just because I'm a girl doesn't mean I'm squeamish."

Zack looked at his sword and smiled.

"Use brings about wear, tear, and rust," he explained, echoing Angeal. "So usually, I just hit it with the blunt side."

Soon after that, they got to the rope bridge. The same rope bridge that Tifa fell off of when Aunt Claire died.

"It gets harder from here!" Tifa warned. "Follow me!"

Tifa led the way.

Now, you'd have to admit that five people on a decaying rope bridge was not the brightest of ideas. But, in any event, the bridge began to collapse.

"Uh... the bridge!" Tifa shouted.

Of course, that didn't do dick. The bridge collapsed, and the five of them disappeared below.

Fearing mainly for Tifa, I ran down the nearest path, hoping some of them were okay.

I found one dead body a few yards away. It belonged to the one of the troopers. Fearing, again for Tifa's sake, that it might have been Cloud, I slowly pulled his mask off.

When I did, I wanted to break down and cry.

It was Logan; my friend from high school. He had moved, and I had never found out what had happened to him. As it turned out, he had become a Shinra trooper, and had just now been killed on a mission. It was the first tragedy of the Nibelheim mission.

I could waste no time, of course. Tifa's fate was yet to be revealed to me. I continued until I saw the others.

They had all survived.

"Everyone seems to be all right," Sephiroth said as he dusted himself off. "Can we get back to where we were?"

"These caves are intertwined," Tifa explained. "Just like an ant farm. Oh, and Sephiroth? There seems to be one person missing."

"It may sound cold," Sephiroth replied, "but we've got no time to search for him. We can't go back now, so we must go on. We'll travel together from here."

I wanted to pick up a rock and hurl it at him. Logan deserved better.

The next highlight was when we passed through a cave where the walls were all sorts of colors.

"What's this?" Zack asked.

"A mysteriously colored cave," Tifa replied.

"It must be the mako energy," Sephiroth said. "This mountain is especially abundant in it. That's why the mako reactor was built here."

Soon after, they came across a strange looking fountain.

"And what's this?" Zack asked**.**

"A mako fountain," Sephiroth replied. "It's a miracle of nature."

"It's so beautiful," Tifa commented as she approached it. "If the mako reactor continues to suck up the energy, this fountain will dry up too."

"Materia," Sephiroth said as he joined Tifa at the fountain. "When you condense mako energy, materia is produced. It's very rare to be able to see materia in its natural state."

"By the way," Zack said, "why is it that when you use materia you can also use magic too?"

"You were in SOLDIER and didn't even know that?" Sephiroth inquired in an annoyed tone of voice. "The knowledge and wisdom of the Ancients is held in the materia. Anyone with this knowledge can freely use the powers of the land and the planet. That knowledge interacts between ourselves and the planet calling up magic, or so they say."

"Magic," said Zack. "A mysterious power."

Just then, Sephiroth began to cackle again, the same way he did at the town enterance the other day.

"Did I say something funny?" Zack asked.

"A man once told me never to use an unscientific term such as mysterious power!" Sephiroth replied. "It shouldn't even be called 'magic!' I still remember how angry he was."

"Who was that?" Zack asked, even though he knew it could only be one person.

"Hojo of Shinra," Sephiroth answered. "An inexperienced man assigned to take over the work of a great scientist. He was a walking mass of complexes."

My cousin, meanwhile, was still mesmerized by the natural feature.

"A mako fountain," she said to herself. "So this is where the knowledge of the Ancients is."

Eventually, the survivors made it to the Nibelheim Reactor.

"We finally made it," Tifa announced. "We sure took the long way, though."

"Thank you for guiding us," Sephiroth said politely.

"Tifa," Zack commanded, "you wait here."

My cousin was anything but happy about that.

"I want to go inside and look, too!" Tifa pleaded.

"This is a top-secret facility," Sephiroth replied. "Non-Shinra personnel are not permitted inside. Only authorized people are allowed in. This place is full of Shinra's industrial secrets."

"But..." Tifa protested.

Sephiroth then turned to Cloud.

"Keep the young lady safe," he commanded.

With that, Sephiroth walked into the reactor, followed by Zack. Tifa tried to go in, but Cloud blocked her entrance.

"Better take real good care of me, then!" she said sarcastically as she stomped her foot.

Cloud nodded.

"Can you even talk?" she asked.

Cloud shook his head.

INSIDE THE REACTOR...

Zack walked ahead of Sephiroth, up a flight of stairs surrounded by twelve pods. At the top of those stairs was a double door with a rather familiar name above it.

"Jenova...interesting," he said to himself. "The door is sealed, of course."

He turned to descend the statues, and remembered what Sephiroth had said about his mother.

"Jenova?!" he exclaimed as he practically spun around.

Very interestingly, Sephiroth was less than moved by the name above the door. He seemed more interested in one of the pods at the base of the stairs.

"This is the cause of the malfunction," Sephiroth announced. "This section is broken." He then noticed his companion descending the stairs. "Zack, go seal the valve."

Zack did as he was told.

"Why did it break?" Sephiroth asked. He paused as he examined the contents inside. "Now I see, Hojo," he continued. "But, even doing this, will never put you on the same level as Professor Gast."

Professor Gast was, basically, the person who died and made Hojo head of the science department. I've only seen him in pictures. He had this big-assed mustache, and these really weird looking ears that stood out for some reason. I can't describe them, but the only other person who has ears like that is Aerith.

Anyway, Zack returned to where Sephiroth was.

"This is a system that condenses and freezes the mako energy," Sephiroth explained. "That is, when it's working correctly. Now, what does mako energy become when it's further condensed?"

"It becomes a materia," Zack replied.

"Right, normally," Sephiroth confirmed. "But Hojo put something else in there. "Take a look. Look through the window."

Zack looked through the window. Inside, he saw something that was human. I emphasize on the word _was_, because it seemed no longer human by the time.

"What is that?" Zack inquired.

"You average SOLDIER members are mako-infused humans," Sephiroth explained. "You're enhanced, but you're still human. But then, what are those things? Their mako energy levels are exponentially higher than yours."

"Are they...monsters?" Zack asked.

Sephiroth walked over to the base of the stairs.

"Yes," he answered. "The Shinra scientist Hojo was the one who created them." He then turned to face Zack. "Abominations spawned by mako energy. That's what monsters are."

And then, Zack said something he really shouldn't have said.

"You said 'average' member. What about you?"

Sephiroth stood for a few seconds, doing nothing. Then, suddenly, he stepped back, turned around, and began to clutch his head.

Zack quickly rushed to him and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Hey, Sephiroth!"

But the damage was done.

Sephiroth threw his hand off, walked a few feet away, and clutched his head again.

"Could it be that I...was created the same way? Am I the same as these monsters?"

Zack ran to him.

"I knew," Sephiroth continued, "ever since I was a child, I was not like the others. I knew mine was a special existence. But this...this was not what I meant."

Suddenly, one of the pods burst, and a moment later, one of the creatures was on the floor.

As it started to get up, Zack struck it in the head with the butt of his sword, knocking it unconscious. He then put the poor monster back in its pod and sealed it.

He then returned his attention to the other monster.

"Am I a human being?" Sephiroth asked as he gazed into his trembling hands, never expecting an immediate answer.

But he got one.

"No such luck," called a familiar voice. "You are a monster."

A fireball suddenly came down on Sephiroth, which he quickly countered.

Zack took refuge on the floor.

Moments later, Genesis, the real Genesis, landed on the stairs.

"Sephiroth," he greeted. "You were the greatest monster created by the Jenova Project."

"Genesis!" exclaimed Zack. "So you are alive!"

"I suppose I am," he said as he touched his face, "if you can call this living."

It was then that I noticed that Genesis was looking sick. His hair was white now. His complexion was whiter, too.

"What is the Jenova Project?" Sephiroth demanded.

"The Jenova Project," Genesis replied, "was the term used for all experiments relating to the use of Jenova's cells."

"My mother's cells?" Sephiroth asked.

"Poor little Sephiroth," Genesis taunted. "You've never actually met your mother. You've only been told her name, no? I don't know what images you've conjured up in your head, but-"

"Genesis, no!" cried Zack.

"Jenova was excavated from a two thousand-year-old rock layer," Genesis continued. "She's a monster."

Sephiroth gasped in shock

"Sephiroth," Genesis pleaded, "I need your help. My body is continuing to degrade."

Sephiroth did not dignify that with response.

"SOLDIER First Class Sephiroth!" Shouted Genesis. "Jenova Project G gave birth to Angeal and monsters like myself. Jenova Project S..."

"S?" Zack interjected as he sat up.

"It used the remains of countless failed experiments to create a perfect monster," Genesis finished.

"What do you want of me?" Sephiroth demanded.

"Your traits cannot be copied unto others," Genesis explained. "Your genes can't be diffused. Therefore, your body cannot degrade."

As Genesis raised his head, I could see his veins visible in his neck.

"Share your cells with me," Genesis continued as he presented a dumbapple. "My friend, your desire is the bringer of life, the gift of the goddess."

Sephiroth ignored it; instead, he looked at the door at the top of the stairs. The name "Jenova" was still above it.

Finally, he spoke.

"Whether your words are lies created to deceive me, or the truth that I have sought all my life, it makes no difference."

With that, he smacked the dumbapple out of Genesis' hand.

"You will rot," Sephiroth grunted as he walked out of the reactor.

"I see," Genesis observed. "Perfect monster, indeed. When the war of the beasts brings about the world's end The goddess descends from the sky Wings of light and dark spread afar She guides us to bliss, her gift everlasting."

Genesis then began to follow Sephiroth outside.

"No!" cried Zack as he sprang to his feet. "Stop!"

When Zack got outside, he could see two Genesis copies and a large armored creature. Cloud was laying on the ground. Tifa was putting up her fists.

"Damn it," Zack muttered as he drew his sword.

He quickly charged the intruders and killed them one by one. He then scanned the area. There was no sign of Genesis or Sephiroth. What he did see was Tifa huddled over the fallen Cloud.

"He tried to protect me," she said.

"I know," Zack said. "Tifa, stay close to me."

She nodded, and helped Cloud to his feet.

The three of them slowly began to make their way back to Nibelheim.

"I'm sorry," Zack began. "I know you weren't expecting all of this."

"No worries," Tifa assured him. "My life's all about the unexpected."

"So how do you know so much about the mountain?" Zack asked.

"When my mom died, I ran away here," she replied. "I almost got killed. Afterward, I kept sneaking back here until I knew every path. I can take you all the way to Rocket Town if you like."

"You seem like the bravest one here," Zack observed. "And how old are you?"

"Fifteen," Tifa answered. "So, yeah, I still live at home. I take it the Shinra gave you a nice place?"

"You got it," Zack replied. "I'm living there with my girlfriend."

"You have a girlfriend?" Tifa asked. "Good. I prefer hanging out with guys who have girlfriends."

"Why's that?" Zack laughed.

"So they won't try to get into my pants," Tifa replied.

"Hey," Zack began, "how did you know the Shinra spoils us rotten?"

In response, Tifa hung her head. "My best friend wanted to join SOLDIER," she answered sadly. "He told me everything he found out. That's why...I asked you who was coming when we first met."

"Ahhh," Zack said. "I see."

"I haven't seen him in two years," she said.

"Miss him?" asked Zack as the Shinra Mansion came into view.

"Very much so," Tifa replied. "Very much so."

As they reached the center of Nibelheim, Zack scanned the town.

"Where did Sephiroth go?" Zack asked.

"Something the matter?" asked Tifa as she rested Cloud against a wall.

"Sorry, I can't tell you," Zack informed her.

"I'm not surprised," she said. "I'll ask around town about Sephiroth."

"Thanks, Tifa," Zack said.

AN HOUR LATER...

Cloud awoke in the hotel room. Remembering what had happened, he quickly sat up with a gasp.

"Tifa's safe," Zack assured him. "Don't worry."

"If only I were SOLDIER...Zack?" Cloud sighed.

Zack promptly thought about the events of the day.

"SOLDIER is like a den of monsters," he warned him. "Don't go inside."

"What happened?" Cloud asked.

"I don't know, man," Zack replied as he lay back. "I thought I knew, but..." And then, something crossed his mind. "By the way, do you know Tifa?"

Cloud squeezed his knees, knowing there was no hiding it.

"Sort of," he answered.

"Talked to her?" Zack pressed as he sat up again.

"No," Cloud dismissed as he stared at the door.

"I'm sensing some issues here," Zack deduced. "Should you do something?"

"Not really," Cloud answered. "I'd rather her not know I'm here." He paused. "If you must pry, I tried to join SOLDIER to impress her."

"Really?" Zack inquired. "You like her."

Cloud silently gave one nod.

"Then why don't you ask her out?" Zack asked. Then it hit him. "It was you she was looking for, wasn't it?"

"Probably," Cloud replied.

"That means she likes you, too!" Zack said enthusiastically.

"Probably," Cloud repeated.

"Dude, date her!" Zack insisted. "She obviously likes you."

"It's kind of complicated," Cloud explained.

"My girlfriend's complicated," Zack admitted. "And I'm a dead man if she ever finds out I told you that!"

"Her dad hates me," Cloud dismissed.

"She's fifteen," Zack assured him. "I think she can think for herself. Trust me on this one."

"Are you going to tell me your girlfriend's dad hates you, too?"

"She doesn't have a dad," Zack replied. "She was adopted by a young widow."

"Does your mom like her?" Cloud asked.

"My parents like her," Zack said. "I take it your mom doesn't like Tifa?"

Cloud said nothing and lowered his head.

"I'm one to talk," said Zack as he stood up and walked over toward his sword. "I'm with SOLDIER, so...fighting's all I do. Sorting things out is someone else's job. What's going on? Who's the enemy? It makes no difference to me!"

He picked up the sword and aimed it at the bed. He then lowered it.

"Hey, Zack?" Cloud began. "You know, I've never seen you use that."

Zack closed his eyes.

"Use brings about wear, tear, and rust. And that's a real waste," he remembered Angeal saying. "You're a little more important than my sword. But just a little."

"This is a symbol of my dreams and honor," saod Zack as he stared at the sword. "No, it's more. That's right, I had almost forgotten. Thank you, Cloud."

"Huh?"

"Right!" said Zack before putting his sword down.

He did a few squats and then went to his bed.

"I'm gonna crash!" he announced. "Night!"

A FEW HOURS LATER...

Zack awoke, and went downstairs to find Tifa in the lobby.

"Sephiroth is apparently at Shinra Manor," she announced.

"That big mansion?" he asked.

"Yes," she answered. "Shinra has owned it for a long time."

"What could he be doing in there?" Zack asked rhetorically.

"Maybe he's practicing social distancing?" Tifa suggested. "To prevent the spread of a pandemic?"

"That would a responsible thing to do," Zack said.

"It would be very responsible," Tifa agreed. "And hard at the same time. What would I be supposed to be doing? Sitting around reading fan fiction all day?"

"I doubt that's the reason he's there, Zack said. "It got...interesting inside the reactor."

"Top secret Shinra stuff?" she suggested.

"More or less," Zack replied.

"Please let me know how that trooper's doing," Tifa requested. "You can at least tell me that, right?"

"Of course, Zack answered.

Tifa smiled and left the inn. Outside, on the way back to her house, she saw another familiar face sitting on a bench. She smiled, and sat down next to him.

"Zangan!" Tifa greeted.

"Hello, Tifa," he greeted back. "You seem well."

She hesitated.

"You're not mad at my outfit, are you?" she then asked, looking down at her exposed midriff.

"You're a teenage girl," Zangan replied. "Who am I to judge?" He paused. "But I know you wore it for him."

Tifa began to blush.

"How can you tell?"

Zangan laughed.

"Do you remember why you first came to me for training?"

"Because Johnny was always trying to get into my pants?" she replied.

"That helped with that," Zangan confirmed. "But that wasn't the main reason."

Tifa gave him a solemn look. She knew, but she didn't exactly want to remember it.

"Because I wanted to go to Midgar," she replied. "To maybe join SOLDIER myself." She took a breath. "So I could be near him."

"And you were hoping he would come this time," Zangan inferred.

"Yes," Tifa replied as she lowered her head. "But he didn't." She closed her eyes, and a tear fell from her left eye. "It was foolish on my part to automatically figure that he would be here. Maybe I should forget the whole thing. He's probably been assigned somewhere far away. Maybe he's even found a girlfriend."

"You don't need to forget about Cloud," Zangan assured her. "He's the main reason you call me master."

Tifa sighed, and nestled her head on Zangan's shoulder.

"I'd rather call you another word," she said. "One that starts with a G."

"You can't let that be a distraction," Zangan said.

Tifa then sat up.

"You might want to go home and change before your father catches you wearing that again," Zangan suggested. "But I'll let you in on a secret. I'm contracted to train your cousin Tobin next year when he arrives in Xing. If it's okay with your father, you can join us."

"Don't count on it," Tifa laughed as she stood up. "But if it is, it's a yes on my part."

She pecked him on the cheek and walked back to her house.

A moment later, Zack appeared from around the corner.

"You heard," Zangan said.

"Zangan?!" Zack exclaimed.

"Have we met?" Zangan asked.

Zack shook his head.

"I've just heard about you," he said. "Listen, I won't let anything bad happen to Tifa. You have my word."

"Tifa's fifteen years old," Zangan replied. "I don't feel I'm in any position to decide for her." He paused, and lowered his head. "I felt the same way about Claire."

"Claire?" asked Zack.

"Claire was my daughter and...Tifa's mother," Zangan clarified.

"So Tifa's your grand-"

"She's my student," Zangan interjected. "That's how it needs to be viewed right now."

Zack scratched his head as his phone began to ring.

"Go ahead and take that," Zangan permitted as he got up off the bench and began to walk away. "I'll be around."

Zack shrugged and answered the phone.

"Hell-lloooo?" greeted a familiar soprano.

"Aerith?" Zack greeted back.

"I finally got through!" she happily exclaimed.

At that exact moment, to the north, Zack could see Sephiroth roaming around the front of the Shinra Mansion.

"Yeah," he continued, "uh, listen, now's not the best time. I'll call you later."

"No, no, you don't have to," replied the obviously disappointed Aerith.

"Okay," Zack quickly said. "I'll come visit."

"I'll be here," she said casually.

"I'll see you, I promise," he tried to assure her.

But Aerith hung up the phone.

Zack lowered his head.

"Aerith," he sighed, "wait for me just a little while longer."

He then turned to see Cloud standing a few yards away.

"Aw shit," Zack groaned. "I how much did you hear?"

"Everything," Cloud replied.

"I need to check every direction," Zack sighed.

"How can you be embarrassed?" Cloud asked. "I already know she shaved her private parts."

Zack blushed, realizing that Cloud would not let that go.

"Listen," Cloud continued, "I don't think this is going to go as bad as we expected."

"What do you mean?" Zack asked.

"I don't think Sephiroth is thinking about abandoning Shinra anymore," Cloud answered. "He's pacing around, questioning his own existence. He's been shattered inside. So call your girlfriend back."

Zack scratched his head.

"I dunno," he said. "I really don't want to get distracted."

"Dude," Cloud pressed, "call her. The reactor will still be here tomorrow. So will Sephiroth."

"All right," Zack conceded. "I'll call my girlfriend. But you have to reveal yourself to Tifa before we leave."

Cloud lowered his head. "Deal, I guess." He then looked at Zack. "Go to the room. I'll give you some privacy."

"Thanks!" Zack said.

He immediately retreated to the hotel room and called Aerith, who answered after one ring.

"You called back!" she exclaimed happily.

"Yeah," Zack said sheepishly. "Well, the mission will still be here tomorrow."

"How's Sephiroth?" she asked skeptically.

"Completely broken down," Zack replied.

"What happened?" Aerith asked.

"Psychological trauma," he answered. "He's been rendered completely harmless. I'll let you know when I can come home."

He could almost feel Aerith smile from the other side.

"I miss you," she said.

"I miss you more," he said back.

"My vagina misses you most of all," she giggled.

"I'll be home soon," Zack promised.

"Don't leave your girlfriend hanging!" she exclaimed.

"I won't," Zack promised. "This mission's due for a happy ending."

He was wrong. Very wrong.

THE STUFF THAT MIGHT HAVE GONE UNNOTICED...

This is the point where the story more or less becomes a Cloud/Tifa romance again. All of my original characters have been written out, both Cloud and Tifa (and their supporting cast) have been reintroduced, Aerith is slowly dwindling away as a supporting character, and more connections to the bookending present-day story arc are being made. So we're almost back to the way we were.


	50. It All Breaks Loose

Premonitions II: Crisis Core

Chapter 50: It All Breaks Loose

September 24, 0002

I was relieved that something went wrong with Sephiroth's original plan, but was still wary of what he was doing. Once he had that encounter with Genesis, he went straight to the mansion to isolate himself, only appearing out front a couple of times.

So, long story short, I was somewhat concerned he was still going to go cray-cray, but l had an advantage: I could check in on him without being seen.

By chance that morning, I saw Zack going into the Shinra Mansion; I think he was thinking what I was thinking. So I cloaked myself and followed him inside.

Inside, there was a huge foyer with a flight of stairs. I saw Zack go up and to the right, and I did likewise.

The mansion was dark inside, as nobody had lived there for years. I knew Sephiroth was lurking here somewhere, but so for I saw no sign of him. There was just dusted floors, torn curtains, and windows so filthy you couldn't see out of them. If someone cleaned that house up, he could practically keep the house as a fee.

And then, we got to the room that had the lead. A piece of the stone wall was pulled away, revealing a secret passage that Zack naturally disappeared into. I followed him to find a spiraling staircase leading downward. It was one of those staircases that leaves you feeling weird if you look downward, so I didn't.

Anyway, I got to the bottom, where I saw the doorway that Zack had passed through. Beyond that, it seemed like a tunnel in a natural cavern. It made sense, as we were below Mount Nibel. But this tunnel was artificially lit, thus allowing me to watch Zack disappear through the doorway on the other side.

You'll never guess what was beyond the tunnel: a library! I mean it. There were shelves lined with books and a desk and everything. But, hell, you'll probably guess who Zack found down there: Sephiroth.

He was pacing around, with his eyes glued to one of the many books in the room.

"A life form in a state of suspended animation, excavated from a two thousand-year-old stratum," read Sephiroth aloud. "Professor Gast named this lifeform Jenova. Date: X/X/XX: Jenova verified as an Ancient. Date: X/X/XX: Jenova Project approved. Mako Reactor One authorized for use."

He continued to pace around the room, seemingly oblivious to the fact that Zack was in there with him.

"My mother's name, Jenova," Sephiroth said to himself. "The Jenova Project...could this be a coincidence? Professor Gast, why didn't you tell me? Why did you have to die?"

Zack cleared his throat, hoping to attract his attention.

"I would like to be alone," Sephiroth requested.

Zack respected his wishes and left immediately.

I stayed for another twenty minutes, watching him pace and read. Finally, realizing that nothing was going to change, I turned to leave.

On my way back through the tunnel, I spotted a room I didn't notice on my way in here. I think at this point it goes without saying, but curiosity got the best of me.

By the way, you do know what curiosity did to the cat, right? Well, once I got into the room, I almost wanted to leave. The room was full of coffins and body bags.

It's not like I've never seen a dead body before, and I've been to three or four funerals in my lifetime, but this was simply too much. I decided to leave the room.

And that's when I noticed. One of the coffins jolted.

I literally smacked myself in the face to make sure I wasn't dreaming. I wasn't.

I spent the next several minutes waiting for the coffin to jolt again. Not only did it jolt again, but it actually opened. And here comes the icing on the cake: the dead body inside sat up.

I watched him for several minutes. He just sat there and did nothing but gaze in my direction. He was wearing mainly black, except for a purple cape. He had long black hair, and his left hand seemed almost mechanical. And it seemed as if he was looking directly at me.

"Well," the man from the coffin suddenly began, "how long are we going to stare at each other?"

I gave him a shocked look. I then ran my hand in front of my face to see if I was still cloaked; I was.

"Yes," the man continued, "I see you."

That was all I needed. I turned around, ran through the tunnel, and up the spiral stairs. I didn't look back once, and I sure as hell didn't stop until I got to Uncle Brian's house.

"You look like you've seen a ghost!" Tifa exclaimed as I came in through the door.

"I think I did," I replied.

I stayed inside for the rest of the day.

Sephiroth, meanwhile, stayed inside for seven days.

ON THE FIRST DAY...

September 25, 0002

I had trouble sleeping that night, and woke up at six that morning. I still couldn't get it out of my head that a dead body rose up and talked to me, let alone see me, despite me being cloaked.

I looked up; Tifa was still sound asleep. Realizing I wasn't going back to sleep, I got up and showered. While cleaning up, I realized something: the stiff didn't come after me. Not only that, he wasn't going after Sephiroth. He obviously wasn't a bad dead dude.

As fucked up as this sounds, I was wondering if he knew something about this situation that I didn't. That mansion had a secret library and laboratory. That was connected to where Sephiroth might have come from. It was quite possible then, that the corpse I saw had once worked there.

He might know about Sephiroth.

He might know about what he was planning.

But there was only one way to find out.

I dressed, went downstairs, and went outside, heading straight for the Shinra Mansion.

I remembered the way really well once I got inside the mansion. I entered the foyer. I went up the stairs to the wing on the right. I descended the spiraling stairs and entered the tunnel. Finally, I stepped into the room with the coffins and body bags.

Don't get me wrong; I was scared shitless the whole time. But I figured he had some answers.

He sat up and looked at me, just like that other time.

"You again?" the stiff greeted.

"Y-yeah," I stammered. "It's me. H-how can you see me? I'm cloaked. I can't be seen by anybody."

"I'm not just anybody," the corpse replied.

"So who...or what are you?" I naturally asked.

"Vincent," the stiff replied. "Vincent Valentine."

"I'm Tobin," I greeted.

"It's a pleasure," Vincent said.

I'll admit I was quite relieved that he wasn't going to come after me. He really did seem like a decent guy.

"So are you alive or dead?" I then inquired.

"Somewhere in between," Vincent answered. "I've been here for years."

"Do you have any idea what's going on?" I asked him. "Or is that what's been waking you up and making you shake in your coffin?"

"Something seems...different," Vincent admitted. "Usually, this mansion is quiet. It's been many years since it's been occupied. President Shinra lived here decades ago. But it's been all abandoned. Until lately. There's been activity here."

"Tell me about it," I said. "I'm not even the only one down here. This guy Sephiroth-"

"Sephiroth is here?!" Vincent exclaimed.

This was going easier than I thought.

"You know him?" I asked.

"I knew his mother," he clarified.

"You knew Jenova?" I inquired. "Can that thing...talk?"

Vincent shook his head.

"Lucrecia," he corrected. "His mother's name is Lucrecia."

"But he says his mother's name was Jenova. Some alien they found all frozen," I said.

"He might have some of that creature's cells inside of him," Vincent replied. "But Lucrecia Crescent is his biological mother."

"So you're saying he wasn't spawned by an alien they found in the ice?"

"No way," Vincent replied.

"So you're saying he came out of a human woman's vagina?" I asked.

"Precisely," Vincent replied. "Dr. Crescent was a normal human being."

"So what Genesis said was a lie?"

"Would that be Genesis Rhapsodos?" Vincent asked. "The prototype?"

"You got it," I replied. "He told Sephiroth he wasn't human and a whole bunch of other shit."

"Then it's too late," Vincent sighed as he lay down again.

"What do you mean, 'too late?'" I asked.

"Sephiroth normally has a stable personality," Vincent explained. "But when he's emotionally compromised..."

He quietly put the lid back on the coffin and said no more.

"Yo!" I exclaimed. "I've got more questions!"

Vincent didn't respond.

I wanted to yell at him more, but I realized that Sephiroth might hear me. So I quietly left.

LATER...

I lay back down on my sleeping bag and rested my eyes. I soon fell asleep, and didn't wake up again until noon.

What woke me up was the sound of footsteps slowly creeping into the bedroom.

I was on my stomach, and I could see a pair of black boots walking through the door.

_Shit_, I thought, as I began to tremble. _Sephiroth has tracked me here._

As I moved my head up, I could see a pair of green camouflage pants on the figure that was now a few feet away.

I sighed in relief; it was definitely not Sephiroth.

And then, suddenly, a paintball gun dropped in front of me.

I looked up to see Tifa, also wearing a black tank top and sporting her own paintball gun, with her face painted green and eye black below her eyes.

"I'm going to hide somewhere in town," she announced. "In ten minutes, come looking for me. When you find me, it's war!"

She grinned, and ran off.

MEANWHILE...

Karnak, by the way, had made it to Junon. He had memories of that city; Cloud had been there not too long before.

He pondered the situation. He was less than a month old, yet he had years worth of memories from two different individuals.

_But now,_ he realized, _I'm going on a new course in life._

_What is my place in this world?_

_Is there more to my life than killing the president?_

AND ON THE SECOND DAY...

September 26, 0002

The next day, Karnak arrived at Costa del Sol. He had taken the ferry across the ocean, and his pale skin had never felt the sun the way it did there.

And then, there were the bikinis. As he had the body of an adult, he had the mind of an adult. He also had the same desires and lusts.

Cloud was a virgin. Sephiroth was not. As a result, Karnak missed sex.

On the beach, he happened upon a twenty-year-old in a white bikini. She had short, blond hair, and a tattoo on her lower back.

As Karnak approached her, she gave him a dirty look and continued on her way.

"Hello," Karnak greeted.

"Don't talk to me, you freak!" she shouted. "Creepy!"

"Is it because of my blue hair?" he asked.

"No, it's because you came out of nowhere!" she snapped as she began to walk faster.

"But I didn't do anything wro-"

The girl turned around, and sprayed pepper spray into his face.

Karnak staggered back and covered his eyes. By the time he recovered, the girl was gone.

"Am I a freak?" he asked himself aloud. "Am I human?"

And he was passed by as if he wasn't there.

MEANWHILE...

I noticed that Tifa still seemed depressed over Cloud not being there.

You're probably wondering, so, yeah, I'll tell you. I wanted to tell her that Cloud was here, badly. But I had already promised Cloud not to tell anyone. It was really a big no-win, damned-if-you-do, damned-if-you-don't situation. And then, I began to wonder: was there a way I could somehow reveal that Cloud was here, without actually telling her?

In any event, I found one way to cheer her up.

There was a pay phone outside the local diner. Once Tifa came outside, I casually walked over to it and grinned.

"I think it's time I claim my disability benefits," I announced.

"Aw, Tobin, not again!" she protested.

But I knew she needed this.

I popped a gil and called the phone. Moments later, a representative answered.

"Western Continent Disability Claims Center," she said.

"Uh, yeah?" I said. "I'm disabled."

"What is the nature of your disability?" asked the representative.

"I've got this huge crack in my butt," I replied with a grin.

The representative immediately disconnected the call.

Tifa burst out laughing, so hard that she had to sit down on the bench.

Mission accomplished.

AND ON THE THIRD DAY...

September 27, 0002

I sat in the town square, staring at the mansion to the north. Sephiroth was still there. So was Vincent. I didn't bother to go back there, now that I knew that Vincent wasn't going to be any great help.

I was kind of wondering when Sephiroth would come out of there. This is morbid, I know, but I was also wondering if the poor bastard killed himself. It wouldn't surprise me; his world was shattered.

I also wondered whether Genesis was still in the area.

And then, Tifa sat down next to me. She was dressed in a normal tee shirt and jeans, and I thus almost didn't recognize her.

"He's still in there?" she asked.

"I think so," I replied.

"It's been three days," she said. "What happened back there?"

"God only knows," I replied.

Of course I knew the truth, but I didn't want it to look like Zack had spilled the beans somehow.

Tifa then stood up and stretched.

"Well," she said, "he's going to have to come out of there sometime. It's not our job to deal with him." She then turned to face me. "There's a small lake in the mountains. Meet me there in an hour. I could use some cousin time."

"In the mountains?" I asked.

Tifa nodded with a smile.

"Bring your bathing suit," she commanded.

AN HOUR LATER...

I stripped down to my trunks and sat on the rock near the lake. I looked into the distance; to the north, I could see the shadow of the reactor. I wondered if Genesis was still there, and, if so, what he might do to the reactor.

I also wondered what would happen if that Jenova creature ever got loose.

"Right on time!" Tifa suddenly called from behind.

I stood up to greet her, and noticed she was proudly sporting a blue two-piece.

"Well, what do you think?" she asked.

"What?"

"My first bikini!" she clarified.

"Not bad," I replied.

Now, I know you might find it weird that she wanted to show her bikini body off to her own flesh and blood, so I'll explain. The truth is that Tifa is simply proud of her body. She runs just about every day, and was on the track team during her freshman year.

Oh, and Uncle Brian. She's wanted a bikini since she was thirteen, but he, being over-protective, said no. It was also a way of showing that he couldn't stop her from doing what she wanted.

Tifa even took a selfie of us and sent it to her aunt, my mom.

A few moments later, my mom texted her back: "I wish I looked that good in a bikini when I was fifteen!"

We swam for a couple of hours, mainly dunking each other and squirting each other with our hands if you ever tried that trick.

Afterward, we were drying off on a rock, when Tifa seemed melancholy again.

"You okay?" I asked, even though I knew the answer, and the reason.

"I was hoping to take Cloud here," Tifa began sadly.

"I take it you discovered this spot not too long ago?" I asked.

"We always used to go swimming in his backyard pool," Tifa continued. "But I was always a kid and wearing a dorky one-piece. I was hoping to show him my new bikini."

Unlike with me, I knew she wanted to impress him.

"When he left," Tifa added, "we were kind of on a sour note."

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"We had a school dance," she replied, "and I badly wanted to dance with him. I wanted to feel his shoulders. I wanted to feel his hands on my waist."

"You mean you hit puberty," I added.

"I was thirteen, so, basically, yes," she confirmed. "But he wouldn't dance with me. He was running into the bathroom every time there was a slow dance until Mr. Tarin, our principal, stopped him. I asked him to dance, and he wouldn't. I've forgiven him, of course. He wouldn't dance with anyone, and he's painfully shy. It's generally believed he has Asperger's. But I was angry at first, and confronted him later that day. The next time we talked, we met by the well, and he told me he was going to Midgar to join SOLDIER. And we haven't spoken ever since."

"Do you regret it?" I asked. "Confronting him, I mean?"

She sadly nodded.

"Yeah...because you never know how much time you have left with someone."

That hit me hard.

And then, Tifa got a really sad face and hugged me from the side.

"Tobin," she began, "I never did tell you. I'm really sorry about your friend Gehrig."

"Thank you," I replied.

Despite the fact that Tifa reveals a little more of her body than Uncle Brian would have liked (again, she's proud of her body) and loves to pull pranks on me (I am the closest thing to an older brother she has), she really is a wonderful person. She actually sent me a present when Gehrig passed away, and put hearts on my social media wall.

"Have you been doing okay?" she asked as she rested her hand on my shoulder.

"Mostly," I replied. "Though I wonder a lot what our relationship would be like now."

"She was your girlfriend?!" Tifa exclaimed.

"Well," I replied, "she would've been had she lived. We were getting close. One time, at Gold Saucer, she fell asleep on me. And there was steamier, believe me."

"Say no more," Tifa commanded. "I am your cousin."

Just then, I began to hear footsteps. They were coming from behind us.

"Genesis," I whispered.

"Jennifer who?" asked Tifa.

And then, he came into view.

No, it wasn't Genesis.

"You guys know each other?!" Zack exclaimed.

He was in his black trunks, carrying a towel. I guess others knew about the lake after all.

"We're cousins," Tifa replied. She then cuddled in real close to me. "Couldn't you tell?"

Zack took a look at both of us.

"You do look alike," he observed. "Small world, I guess."

The three of us then jumped into the lake and played around for a few more hours.

Zack, meanwhile, gave me a look, as if to say: "We need to talk about something."

And I knew it had to do with Cloud and Tifa.

AND ON THE FOURTH DAY...

September 28, 0002

I stayed in the fourth day. So did Tifa. We mainly sat in her room playing video games.

The highlight of the day came when Uncle Brian angrily called Tifa downstairs.

Suddenly, my laptop was ringing; someone was making a video call.

"Tobin!" exclaimed Cissnei after I answered it. "How's Nibelheim treating you?"

"Not bad," I replied. "Staying with my uncle and cousin."

"That's nice," she said.

"Zack's in town, and so is Sephiroth," I continued.

"I heard," Cissnei replied. "And I hear Sephiroth's gone missing."

"Not exactly," I corrected. "I heard he's been in the Shinra Mansion for days...Cissnei, I need to ask. Has there ever been any documented case of Sephiroth acting strangely?"

"You know I can't tell that to anyone," Cissnei replied. She paused. "But I will to my best friend since I trust him."

"Thanks," I said happily.

"Sephiroth has never behaved out of the ordinary," Cissnei continued. "His psychological evaluation came back perfect every time."

"That's a relief," I said. "I'm worried for my cousin. She was his tour guide for the mountain."

Cissnei smiled.

"So what else has been going on?" she asked.

"Zack and I agreed to help set Cloud up with Tifa."

"Who?" Cissnei asked.

"My cousin," I replied.

"They know each other?" she asked.

"They were best friends when they were kids," I answered. "But they had a falling out after a dance."

"Ouch," Cissnei said. "Maybe it's for the best that I can't dance to save my life."

"So Zack and I are thinking of ways to get them back together. As friends first, maybe, and we'll take it from there."

Cissnei then sighed.

"It's not the same without you around," she said.

"I know," I replied. "Same here."

It was uplifting to know that she missed me.

"Hi, Cissnei!" called an alto suddenly from behind me.

I turned to see that Tifa had returned to the bedroom.

"Hi, Tifa!" Cissnei greeted back.

Tifa ran up to the laptop and put her hand on my shoulder.

"Thanks for being a friend to my cousin!" she said.

"Don't mention it," Cissnei replied. "Well, I'll let you get back to whatever you were doing. Come home soon, okay?"

"Will do," I promised her.

The screen then went blank.

"You two must be really good friends if she misses you like that," Tifa observed.

"We have been more or less at each other's presence for the past two years," I replied.

"Except when you're at work," she said. "And when she's sleeping like a cartoon animal."

We both laughed in unison.

"Cute jeans when she's awake, though," Tifa added.

"What did your dad want you for?" I asked.

"He found my bikini drying on the patio," she replied. "He gave me the 'no bikinis' talk and told me how what I was doing was giving the family a bad name."

"It's not," I assured her. "All teenage girls wear bikinis. I've been to pool parties."

Tifa grinned.

"If he ever yells at me again," she said, "I'll have our family name written on the back of my bottoms. Then he'll have to deal with that!"

I laughed back. Then I realized that, since Tifa was more or less done growing, she could practically keep that bikini forever.

"What would you do if you got married?" I asked.

"I don't know," Tifa laughed. "I'm only fifteen. No ring until I'm at least twenty-six...if ever."

Of course, she didn't seem to take into account what would happen if she was reunited with Cloud.

Now this was getting interesting.

THAT NIGHT...

I woke up in the middle of the night to find two interesting things going on. The first was that there was a ladder a few feet away from me, leading to an open latch in the ceiling.

The second was that Tifa was gone.

Even a six-year-old could have put two and two together. So I climbed up the ladder myself to see what was going on.

Tifa was standing on the roof in her pajamas. She was staring at the stars.

"Mom?" she began. "It's me again."

The sky, of course, didn't respond.

"Cloud never came like I was sure he would," Tifa continued.

She then sadly lowered her head.

It was getting harder and harder to resist the temptation to tell her, but I had already made a promise to Cloud to keep my mouth shut.

Tifa then raised her head and looked at the sky again.

"Mom," she continued. "Will he come? Will I ever see Cloud again? Please give me a sign."

Unsurprisingly, Aunt Claire didn't give a sign.

Tifa collapsed to her knees and began to cry.

I quickly got up onto the roof and knelt down next to her.

As soon as she noticed me, Tifa threw her arms around me and hugged me tightly.

She didn't even object to the fact that I was eavesdropping.

AND ON THE FIFTH DAY...

September 29, 0002

Cloud sat on his bed at home. His mother was hovering over him, much to his annoyance.

"You seem...tired," Claudia observed. "Are you eating right?"

"I'm all right," Cloud assured her. "The company takes care of me."

"Is that so?" asked Claudia. "You can't cook, right?"

"Nope," Cloud replied.

"I was worried sick about how you were doing," she continued. "I heard you were up in Modeoheim."

"That's right," Cloud replied. "But I made it."

"And you were in Junon during an attack?"

"I made it," he repeated.

He then sat silently. He was thinking about what he had promised Zack. He wondered how his mom would take it.

"Cloud?" she began. "You're quiet all of a sudden."

"Mom," Cloud began. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure," Claudia replied. "Ask away."

"Do I have to date an older girl?"

"Of course not," Claudia replied. "I just think that would be perfect for you, but if a younger girl makes you happy, then go for it." She paused. "Is there someone you have in mind?"

She knew her, so he figured he may as well tell her.

"Tifa," he replied.

In response, Claudia actually smiled.

"That's great!" she said. "When did this happen?"

"Two years ago," Cloud replied. "When I was last here."

Claudia smiled. "Tifa's a really nice girl," she said. "I know she'll treat you well."

"I just don't know if I'm ready to tell her how I feel," he admitted.

"You know, Cloud," Claudia warned, "if you don't tell her how you feel now, she might move on the next time you come back."

"You think so?" Cloud asked.

"You left when you were fourteen," Claudia replied. "You're back for the first time since, and you're sixteen now. You might not be back again until you're eighteen or nineteen. Isn't that right, Cloud?"

"It's possible, Cloud admitted.

"Now's your chance," Claudia said. "Ask her before you go."

"So you're okay with Tifa being the woman in my life?" Cloud asked.

"Of course I am," Claudia replied. "But I will always be your mother."

THAT NIGHT...

I might have forgotten to mention that there's a bowling alley in Nibelheim. It's kind of hidden; you go into a foyer and take the escalator down.

It was Tifa's idea, and we went with Zack. But once we got to the bottom of the escalator, there was a problem; there were three of us; teams usually divided into even numbers.

"How about boys versus girl?" Zack suggested.

"Very funny," Tifa laughed.

She was wearing a pair of skinny jeans and a dark blue tank top, and she was already getting stares. She just wanted to hurry up and bowl.

"Chick versus dicks," I added.

She turned to Zack.

"Does your girlfriend play any sports?" she asked. "Maybe we can get her over here somehow."

"She's a cheerleader," Zack replied.

"That doesn't count," Tifa sighed as she folded her arms. She then turned to me. "What about your roommate?"

"It's ten," I replied. "She's usually asleep but now."

"Like a cartoon animal," Tifa sighed.

And then, she smiled.

"Well, look whose here!" she suddenly announced.

Zack and I turned to see Cloud reaching the bottom of the escalator, hiding his face with his mask.

Tifa immediately went up to him.

"We're about to bowl," she began, "but there's only three of us. Wanna play?"

Cloud quickly nodded.

"Great!" Tifa replied with a smile.

Tifa was the best bowler of the four of us. She really didn't need a teammate; she never got less that five pins.

Zack meanwhile, was the worst, mainly getting gutter balls. I think he was distracted. Like I said before, Tifa was wearing a pair of skinny jeans, and I could tell Zack was checking her butt out every time she went to bowl.

I didn't get pissed, because he was only human, but I was pissed that I was the second worst, after Zack.

Cloud, meanwhile, was second best, but still mediocre. He was getting, on average, four or five pins each time. But this one time, he gave Tifa this long look. He then squatted, pushed, and actually got a strike doing it.

"Holy shit!" Zack exclaimed.

"Woot!" Tifa called out as she high-fived Cloud.

She then turned, and became quiet.

_Where have I seen that before?_ she thought. That seemed familiar to her, but she couldn't recall from when.

Needless to say, Tifa and Cloud won the game.

As we were getting ready to go, Tifa turned to Cloud.

"I really had fun tonight," she said.

Cloud nodded and put both of his thumbs up. He then turned and went to the escalator. Moments later, he was gone.

Zack and I laughed. We both already knew it was Cloud, and he did an excellent job hiding his identity.

But it was now apparent that Tifa was beginning to suspect something.

AND ON THE SIXTH DAY...

September 30, 0002

"So Cloud," Zack began the next morning, "I called my girlfriend when you told me to, so..."

"I know, I know," Cloud interrupted. "I'll reveal myself to Tifa. Slowly."

"She needs a hint, at least," Zack said.

"She got one last night," Cloud informed him.

"She needs more," Zack insisted. "I think it's time we arranged a date."

"A date?!" Cloud exclaimed.

"Ever been on a date before?" Zack asked.

"Not really, no," Cloud replied.

"That's going to change this week," Zack announced.

Cloud began to tense up.

"Come on!" Zack insisted. "You'll do fine."

Cloud was silent. His face began to appear flushed and sweaty.

"Look," Zack began. "Either you ask her, or I ask her."

Cloud remained silent.

THAT EVENING...

Zack found Tifa near the well that night.

"Hey there!" she greeted.

"Hey yourself," Zack replied.

"Thanks for a fun night," she said. "I needed that."

"I actually wanted to talk to you about our friend who got a strike from squatting and pushing," Zack informed her.

"Oh yeah," Tifa laughed. "That was only the second time I'd ever seen that. My friend Cloud did that once."

Zack realized she might figure out the truth more easily than expected.

"Really?" he asked, trying to hide his delight.

"Cloud took my bowling for my thirteenth birthday," Tifa explained, smiling. "He got a strike from squatting and pushing, just like that trooper did. It was the second most memorable part of that night."

"Second most?" asked Zack.

"Later on," she continued, "Rufus Shinra started to bully us, so Cloud beat the shit out of him!"

"He beat up the vice president?!" he exclaimed.

"No," Tifa replied, "he wasn't vice president then, but...you said you want to tell me something about him?"

"He would like to get to know you better," Zack informed her.

Tifa's smile faded. She folded her hands behind her back and looked down. She kicked the dirt.

"I don't know," she began. "I...I don't think I'm ready to give up on seeing Cloud again."

"What if I told you that getting to know this trooper might lead you to seeing Cloud again?" Zack suggested.

"By going on a date with another guy?" she asked in bewilderment.

"You don't have to consider it a date," he assured her. "Just...get to know him."

She looked down again.

"Look," he continued, "how badly do you want to see Cloud?"

"I'd give anything to see him again," Tifa admitted.

"Than do me this one little favor," Zack pleaded. "It's not a date, I promise."

"I'm confused," Tifa said. "How could this trooper lead me to Cloud?"

"It's possible that he knows Cloud or works for him," Zack replied.

"It's possible?" she asked skeptically.

"Okay, it's definite," Zack admitted. "But that's the most I can tell you. The trooper will have to tell you more."

And then, it dawned on her.

_What if it _is_ Cloud,_ she thought.

"You know what?" she replied. "I'll do it."

"Great!" Zack said.

_They both got a strike from squatting and pushing. It really might be him!_

"I'll dress sexy," Tifa announced. "Tell him I'll meet him tomorrow night!"

AND ON THE SEVENTH DAY...

October 1, 0002

The next evening, Tifa and (although it still wasn't confirmed to her) Cloud were walking together through the fields outside of Nibelheim. She was wearing her cowgirl outfit. He was wearing his trooper uniform, mask and all.

"So," Tifa began, "how do you know Zack? He said you're friends."

"I met him in Modeoheim," Cloud replied.

I knew Tifa wouldn't recognize his voice. She hadn't seen him in two years; his voice had deepened in the interim.

And yet, Tifa was curious. She was wondering whether she could verify whether this was the man she had known for years.

Whether this was the man she had feelings for.

"That was pretty impressive what you did back at the bowling alley," Tifa continued. "Have you ever done anything like that before?"

"Once," he answered. "Maybe."

_Bingo,_ Tifa thought. _Not to mention, he promised he'd come to my rescue at the well. And that trooper put up a good fight to protect me back at the reactor._

Tifa began to smile. The evidence that this was, indeed, Cloud, was mounting.

_But didn't Cloud join SOLDIER?_ her mind continued.

That was a fly in the ointment. Cloud left with his heart sent on joining soldier. But her companion was a trooper.

_If he is the trooper, that means he failed. But so what? I wouldn't think differently of him. It's not how I'd define him. He was my childhood friend._

_Hell, maybe it's better that he didn't make it. Maybe I could talk him into coming home?_

"What's on your mind?" Cloud suddenly asked.

_I think there's a way I can lead into this,_ Tifa thought.

"There is something I'd like to ask you," she began. "What's your name?"

Cloud stopped.

Tifa turned to face him.

_I think this might be it,_ Tifa thought. _In a few moments, I'll know the answer!_

"If you must know," Cloud began.

"I must, I must!" she playfully replied.

"I know yours," Cloud continued. "Tiffany Claire."

Tifa gasped.

"H-how did you know my full name?" she exclaimed. "Certainly not from Zack!"

_She's figuring it out on her own,_ Cloud realized. _Fuck it._

He began to reach for his helmet.

A huge smile appeared on Tifa's face, and her face literally began to glow.

At the same moment, Cloud began to glow as well.

And then, the smile on Tifa's face vanished, replaced by a look of sheer horror.

Cloud immediately turned around to see the cause of Tifa's sudden change of emotion, as well as the cause of the glow: Nibelheim was on fire.

"Oh my God!" she said in a trembling voice. "Papa! Tobin!"

And she dashed past Cloud as fast as she could.

Like I said, Tifa ran track, so there was no way either Cloud or I could catch up to her. Cloud was fast than I was, too. He soon disappeared as well.

By the time I got to Nibelheim, the whole town was ablaze. Almost every building was on fire, inside and out.

I saw Zack coming out of Cloud's burning house. He was shaking his head.

I realized that he had seen Claudia's dead body. I'll admit, that woman was immature, but I felt bad that she had to die like that.

And I felt very sorry for Cloud.

Zack, meanwhile, turned his attention toward the north end of town.

There stood Sephiroth, displaying pride instead of remorse. I knew right away that he was responsible for this.

_He did it,_ I thought. _That son of a bitch actually snapped._

"I'm coming to get you," Sephiroth announced.

He then turned and seemed to walk through the flames. His comment didn't seem to be directed at Zack.

"How could you?" called Zack. "Sephiroth, how could you?"

He followed him north, to Mount Nibel.

And then, a flaming post fell, blocking my access to the town's northern exit.

Years later, what I found out had happened was this:

Sephiroth was the first to arrive at the reactor. The person he was "coming to get" was none other than Jenova, the creature he had thought was his mother.

Uncle Brian was the second to arrive at the reactor. He arrived right after Sephiroth did, and was able to confront him.

"What is wrong with you?!" Uncle Brian demanded. "Those were innocent people!"

"Nothing is wrong with me," Sephiroth replied as he rotated his sword. "Something is wrong with you. With all of you. You modern human beings are disgusting creatures. It's time I purified the planet."

That did it for Uncle Brian.

"You insane son of a bi-"

He never finished his last words.

Sephiroth stabbed him and withdrew his sword.

Uncle Brian fell to his knees. Then he fell forward. Then...nothing.

Sephiroth nonchalantly dropped his sword and walked into the pod chamber.

Tifa was the third to arrive at the reactor. She came in, climbed down the ladder, and stepped onto the pipe bridge that led to the pod chamber. And then, she slowed down. She began to tremble as she gazed at Uncle Brian's lifeless body. Then, when she reached it, she softly knelt down, and began to cry.

"Papa..." she sobbed.

Then, she saw the wound; the wound that could only have been caused by a sword.

"Sephiroth!?" she sobbed in a broken voice. "Sephiroth did this to you, didn't he!?"

Uncle Brian, of course, didn't respond.

"Sephiroth," she continued. "SOLDIER...mako...reactors...Shinra...everything!" She turned her head to the ceiling. "I HATE THEM ALL!"

And then, the Tifa I knew was gone; a fury had taken her place. She picked up the sword and ran into the pod chamber, where Sephiroth was at the top of the stairwell.

"Mother," he said, "I'm here to see you. Please, open this door."

Tifa began to growl.

"How could you do that to papa and all the townspeople?" she demanded.

She then charged up the stairs, sword in hand.

But she was inexperienced.

Sephiroth took the sword and sent her down the stairs with the greatest of ease.

If you happen to know Tifa, by the way, you might noticed I left something out: the part where he cut Tifa across the chest. That's because he _didn't._ She actually jumped backward to avoid him, and the rest wrote itself.

Tifa lay on the ground, semi-conscious, as Sephiroth continued on his way.

Zack was the fourth to arrive at the reactor. He climbed down the ladder and ran across the pipe bridge, knowing there was nothing he could do for poor Uncle Brian.

In the next room, he spotted the fallen Tifa laying on her back. He quickly knelt down at her side.

"Sephiroth did this, didn't he?" he asked.

He tried to help her up, and she immediately turned away harshly into the fetal position.

Realizing she would not let him help her, he darted up the stairs, stopping halfway to take one last look at my poor cousin.

"I hate you!" she sobbed. "I hate Shinra, I hate SOLDIER! I hate you all!"

And then, she passed out completely.

Zack didn't take it personally; the feeling was starting to become mutual. But now, he needed to stop Sephiroth before he did any more harm. As he reached the top of the stairs, he took his sword and slashed his way through the door.

Sephiroth was in the next room, staring at what appeared to be a sarcophagus.

"Mother," he said to its head, "let's take back the planet together. I had an epiphany. Let's go to the promised land, mother."

"Sephiroth!" Zack shouted. "Why did you kill the townspeople? Why did you hurt Tifa? Answer me, Sephiroth!"

Without looking back, Sephiroth began to laugh.

"Mother, they're here again," he continued.

"You should have ruled this planet. You were stronger, smarter. But then they came; those inferior dullards. They came and took this planet away from you. But don't be sad, mother. I am with you now."

He pulled the head of the sarcophagus off and casually tossed it aside.

Beyond the sarcophagus was a tank. Inside, there was a woman.

A naked blue woman, with one nipple and pink, glowing eyes

"We meet at last, mother," Sephiroth greeted.

And then, Zack's buster sword appeared at Sephiroth's neck.

"Sephiroth!" he exclaimed. "Have you completely lost your mind?"

Sephiroth quickly turned and struck at Zack with his sword.

Zack stopped it with his own.

"Sephiroth," Zack grunted as their swords remained locked, "I trusted you!"

Zack tried, unsuccessfully, to strike Sephiroth.

Sephiroth knocked Zack off the platform and then followed him down.

Zack found himself on a clear floor that appeared to be above a pit full of mako energy.

Sephiroth was standing a few yards away, facing him. He drew his sword.

"No!" shouted Zack. "You're not...you're not the Sephiroth I once knew!"

He pointed his buster sword at him.

"I am the chosen one," Sephiroth announced. "I have been chosen to rule this planet."

And then, Sephiroth did something that could only be described as supernatural to make the glass shatter, causing them both to fall to a catwalk that was suspended above the mako pit.

With both of their swords drawn, Zack and Sephiroth charged in unison, with one always attacking with his sword, and the other always defending with his. The catwalk had no railing or barrier whatsoever; if one turned, the other could knock him into the mako pit below. This was a dangerous moment for them both.

Eventually, Zack did a backflip jump, landing on the higher ground he had been on before.

Sephiroth had quickly followed. Enraged, he charged Zack with his sword again.

Zack quickly defended himself with his buster sword.

But Sephiroth had struck the sword with such force that it knocked it out of his hands.

Zack was sent through the doorway and down the pod chamber stairs.

Now he was the one who was semi-conscious.

Satisfied, Sephiroth turned back towards Jenova.

Cloud was the fifth to arrive at the reactor. He climbed down the ladder and onto the pipe bridge. He ran across, ignoring Uncle Brian. He charged up the stairs of the pod chamber, passing both Tifa and Zack, and into the third room. He picked up Zack's buster sword and charged up the pipe that led to Jenova's tank, stabbing Sephiroth in the back.

"Aarrrrghhhh!" cried Sephiroth. "Who are you?!"

"Mom," Cloud growled. "Tifa... my town...give it back! I had so much respect for you! I admired you!"

He withdrew the buster sword, knocking Sephiroth into the tank with such force that it cracked, and causing Sephiroth to collapse to the ground.

And then, Cloud realized something.

He frantically left the room and raced down the stairs of the pod chamber, finding Tifa laying silently on the ground.

"Tifa?" he called in a shaky voice as he held his tears back. "Tifa? It's me, Cloud. I was here this whole time!"

He then pressed his fingers into her neck, and was relieved when he felt a pulse.

And then, Sephiroth came from Jenova's chamber, still wounded and slightly limping, carrying his sword in one hand and the sarcophagus head in the other.

"How dare you!" he growled.

"Cloud," gasped Zack from the stairs, "finish Sephiroth off..."

Cloud gently rested his childhood friend on the floor. He then picked up the buster sword and ran to the base of the stairs.

"Sephiroth!" Cloud shouted before charging up the stairs, jumping, arming the sword mid-air, and bearing down on Sephiroth.

Sephiroth, with more experience, parried with his sword, knocking Cloud into the third room. He then entered the room himself, took his sword, and stabbed Cloud in the shoulder, lifting him into the air.

"Don't test me," he warned.

And then, Cloud did the unthinkable: he pushed more of the sword into him, lifting Sephiroth off the floor instead.

"No!" cried Sephiroth. "Impossible!"

Cloud then gathered all his strength, grunted, and pulled the sword out of him so hard that it knocked Sephiroth into the wall lights. The glass broke and a small explosion followed; he began to shake as if he was being electrocuted. Then, with little warning, Sephiroth plummeted into the abyss and was gone.

In the pod chamber, Zack continued his vain effort to crawl up the stairs.

Cloud emerged from the doorway, collapsing and sliding down the stairs until he reached Zack's spot.

"Cloud," Zack gasped, "you did it!"

Zangan was the sixth to arrive at the reactor. He picked up the fallen Tifa, and carried her away.


	51. What a Friend Does

Premonitions II: Crisis Core

Chapter 51: What a Friend Does

October 2, 0002

Tifa lay in my bed, still unconscious.

It was now five hour later. The Shinra had sent a relief team to extinguish the fires and remove the bodies. When they were finished, only a few charred, unsalvageable building frames remained.

Nibelheim, being a small town, had a population of a hundred and forty. Of that hundred and forty, the survivors were tallied at seven.

I kept staring at the unconscious Tifa, hoping it wouldn't go down to six.

"She's hit her head," Zangan explained. "She had a nasty bump."

"Did you see anyone else at the reactor?" I asked.

"I saw Cloud and Zack on a stairwell," Zangan replied. "But when I came back for them, they were gone."

"Where did they go?" I asked.

"I have no idea," Zangan answered. "But they did seem to be recovering. By the time I returned, they...also took your uncle's body away."

I lowered my head. I never exactly liked the man, especially after what he did to Aunt Claire. But now that he was dead...

And then, I noticed that Tifa's eyes had opened.

"Where am I?" Tifa asked groggily.

"My place," I replied.

At least there was some good news for the day.

"In Midgar?!" she exclaimed. "How did I get here?"

"Zangan found you," I informed her. "At the reactor."

"Who else did he find?" she asked in a shaky voice.

"Nobody," I replied.

Tears immediately began to fall from her eyes. She signaled for me to come to her, so I did without hesitation. She threw her arms around me and cried to my shoulder.

"I was hoping it was a bad dream," she sobbed. "Papa's dead. And that trooper...I know he's dead, too."

I said nothing; I couldn't confirm otherwise.

"And Zack," she continued. "He didn't deserve to be berated like that. If only I could apologize to him. I feel like such a bitch."

"Don't worry about it," I assured her. "Neither Zack nor the trooper were confirmed dead. They might still be alive."

At least I could give her that.

"Did you bring me here?" she asked.

"Zangan did," I replied. "He's out in the common area. Want to see him?"

"I'd like that," Tifa answered.

So I stepped out into the common room and signaled for Zangan to come in. I then stayed there, wanting to give them some time.

And then, another door opened. Cissnei emerged, fully dressed in a tee shirt and jeans (I could see out the window that it was morning), and, upon seeing me up, practically ran to me and hugged me.

"I'm so sorry about Uncle Brian," she said.

"Thanks," I said.

"You've been through so much," Cissnei continued.

"So have all of us," I replied. "Listen, I've got my cousin in my room."

"No worries," Cissnei assured me. "She can stay with us as long as she needs to."

I felt somewhat relieved. At least my cousin would have a place to go.

"But," Cissnei continued, "at least let me make you breakfast. You need something in you."

"Go right ahead," I approved.

THREE WEEKS LATER...

Uncle Brian's body was never returned to us, so we couldn't have a funeral for him. Maybe it was for the best; funerals always seemed to make people sadder.

Tifa, meanwhile, slowly recovered, though the sting of losing her father would obviously linger. She didn't do anything rash, like when Aunt Claire died, but she would cry a lot for the next week or so. I would get up to hold her each time. I let her have my bed, sleeping on the floor in my sleeping bag.

As for Zack and Cloud, well, I didn't learn their fate until much later, so, at that time, they were more or less missing in action. No social media posts confirmed their "current" whereabouts.

Of course, I couldn't tell Tifa that was Cloud until I knew where he was.

It was a loss for all who knew them. I was reminded of that one day as I was sitting at the cafeteria table across from a sad person.

"You okay?" I asked.

"I got yelled at by my coach," Aerith replied. "She caught me crying at a game. She said I was cheerleading captain, not tearleading captain."

"That was nasty," I said. "Even cheerleaders have personal lives."

"What could I have done wrong?" she asked rhetorically.

"I don't think it's personal," I tried to assure her. "He answered you before. Maybe something came up. Maybe he's on another mission."

"For three weeks?" Aerith asked. "And in Nibelheim, he at least answered the phone. Now he won't even text me back. Tobin, are you sure he wasn't one of the dead?"

"Not according to the report," I replied.

"That's one load off," she said. "But if he's still alive, why isn't he responding?"

Aerith, of course, had to move out of Zack's apartment and back in with Elmyra. It was not an easy adjustment; she was reverting from a practically married adult to a single teenager again.

Only time would tell how she did with it.

Cissnei, Tifa, and I went trick-or-treating for Halloween at the end of the month. I had texted Aerith and invited her to go with us, but she just wanted to stay in. She and Zack had planned to go as a plug (Zack) and and outlet (Aerith), but that was ruined due to Zack's absence.

I began to fear my friend would never be the same again.

November 16, 0002

I supported Aerith by going to all her games until the season ended mid-November. It's what a friend does. After the final game, I took her to the diner. I bought her dinner and all that. She tried to be happy, but it was really hard, given the circumstances.

"Still no sign of Zack?" Aerith asked me.

I shook my head.

"Not that I saw," I replied. "His social media hasn't been updated since Nibelheim."

She sat quietly for a few moments. At that time, I was completely oblivious to Zack's fate, so my guess was as good as anyone else's.

And then, a tear rolled from Aerith's eye.

"I drove him away," she finally said.

"No," I tried to assure her. "Why would he do such a thing?"

"I told him I wanted to get married young," she continued.

"I don't see why that would drive him away," I said.

"He didn't seem ready," she answered. "That's it. I scared him. And maybe because I got too picky with the flower wagon."

"He hasn't changed his relationship status on social media," I pointed out.

"I don't know," Aerith replied. "Something inside me tells me I really blew it."

December 7, 0002

One day, Hojo was summoned to the president's office. As it turned out, President Shinra had discovered the creation of Karnak after Hojo had failed to erase all security footage.

"So you're saying," began President Shinra, "that you created your very own Sephiroth clone last September. and you never even told us?!"

"I was not ready to declare the experiment successful," Hojo replied. "He was only part Sephiroth. Some of his DNA came from Cloud Strife, the trooper."

"And then you let him get away?" added Rufus.

"He was becoming beyond destructive," Hojo replied. "He nearly killed me as well."

"Who gives a shit?!" retorted Rufus in an upset voice. "He would've made one hell of a super-soldier! With the loss of Sephiroth, we need him!"

President Shinra gave him an angry look.

"You're going to have to get him back!" he demanded. "In the meantime, there's going to be something a lot worse than Karnak in your laboratory!"

That was, of course, Jenova, who was recaptured and moved to the Shinra Building.

December 25, 0002

For Christmas, I suggested we go see my parents, but Tifa had other ideas.

"You know, Tobin," she began when we were in private, "I don't think Cissnei has a family."

"Does she have parents?" Tifa asked.

"She's never mentioned them," I replied.

"Does she have any brothers or sisters?" she then asked.

"I do remember her saying she was an only child," I answered.

"Does she have a boyfriend?" Tifa then asked.

I shook my head.

"She's never brought anyone over," I informed her.

"What did she do last Christmas?"

"Now that you mention it," I answered, "she went to work that day."

Tifa gave me a sad look.

"Tobin," she began, "I think she's lonely."

"She seems happy," I pointed out.

"So do I," Tifa said. "But this is my first Christmas as an orphan, and it stings me inside."

I gave her a hug; she needed to know she wasn't alone.

"Tobin," she continued, "you need to spend Christmas with Cissnei. You're all she's got."

I didn't say anything. Tifa had a point, but she needed me as much as Cissnei did.

We ended up having both my parents and Zangan over. And yes, at Tifa's insistance, I got Cissnei something: a cocoa mug.

Cissnei was the happiest I had ever seen her at the end of the day.

That's the one thing about Tifa: she's almost never wrong.

February 7, 0003

Aerith's eighteenth birthday eventually came up. She had started to recover from Zack's disappearance, but two days in February caused her to relapse. The first was her eighteenth birthday. Mind you, Aerith had been hoping to become Mrs. Fair at that age. With Zack having vanished without a trace, that seemed kind of unlikely now.

By chance, a Jeri Lyons (remember, Aerith was obsessed with her) concert happened to fall on Aerith's birthday.

"Get tickets and take her!" Cissnei had told me.

"But Jeri Lyons sucks!" I dismissed. "She doesn't even write her own songs! She's basically a pole dancer with a microphone!"

"And how much do you think Aerith would like it if you took her?" Cissnei insisted. "Snooze, you lose."

So I bit my lip and took Aerith to see Jeri Lyons on her birthday.

Aerith was beyond ecstatic. She was singing and dancing along the whole time. It was one of the few times she wore a crop top.

Afterward, we were even randomly selected to go backstage and meet her.

"Best birthday ever!" Aerith whispered to me.

February 14, 0003

I got three white roses that day.

The first one was from Aerith. I got it at school, during lunch.

She seemed sad again, but that was most certainly because it was Valentine's Day. Still, I had to ask.

"You okay?" I asked.

"I was hoping for a rock," Aerith replied sadly as she looked at her bare ring finger.

"I know," I said.

I still thought the idea was crazy, but I figured she would feel better if I at least pretended to agree with her.

"It's been four months now and still nothing," she continued. "I'm even trying things the old fashioned way."

"Old fashioned way?" I asked.

"I'm writing letters," Aerith clarified. "Needless to say, he's not writing back."

"Did he leave an address?"

Aerith shook her head. Then she said something that got me by surprise.

"I think that maybe I should start over," she said.

"Start over?" I asked, though I knew what she meant.

"With a new boyfriend," she clarified.

"You think you're ready?" I asked her.

"Well," Aerith replied, "I'm not getting any younger. And now that I'm eighteen, I need to think about my life as an adult."

She did have a point there.

"I think...maybe I should have...a younger boyfriend," she continued. "One who won't deceive me like that."

"If that's what works for you," I said.

Aerith then smiled at me.

"Tobin," she began, "this might sound weird, but...would you mind walking me home after school?"

"I'll be happy to," I told her.

LATER...

Sure enough, I walked Aerith to her house after school. She unlocked the door and led us both inside. She tossed her backpack on one of the kitchen chairs, and looked down at her jeans.

"Man, it sucks!" Aerith sighed.

"What?" I asked.

"When I lived with Zack, I was able to walk around with my vagina hanging out," she replied. "I had to get used to having to wear pants around the house again." She then began to laugh and cry at the same time. "And I'm sorry I just shared that with you!"

Before I could say anything, she threw her arms around me, clutching my shoulders tightly. Now she was only crying.

"I miss him, Tobin!" she sobbed.

"I know," I softly replied as I hugged her back.

"I miss Gehrig!" she sobbed again.

"I miss her, too," I said.

"You're all I have left," she said.

It was a sad fact, but I realized she was right. It seemed like everyone was losing everyone.

Aerith. Tifa.

And Cissnei seemed to have lost everything a long time ago.

THAT NIGHT...

The second white rose came from Cissnei when I got home.

"Everything okay?" she asked after she gave it to me. "You're home later than usual."

"It was Aerith," I replied. "She needed a good cry."

Cissnei gave me a sympathetic look.

"She still takes it hard?" she asked.

"Maybe just today," I replied. "Because she's single now."

I put my backpack on my side of the sofa and turned around.

"You know this is your chance," Cissnei said.

"At dating Aerith?" I asked.

"You got it," she confirmed. "Aren't you going to take it?"

"She's still grieving," I replied. "And half of her is still hoping Zack will return."

"And time is running out," Cissnei added. "Four months until you graduate. And then..."

After knowing and being friends with Aerith for three years, I really didn't want to think about this. But it didn't make it any less true.

"...she won't be in my life anymore," I said with sadness.

Four more months, and that would be it. Aerith Gainsborough would be just a memory.

"You know," Cissnei began, "if she's your girlfriend, she'll come with you to Xing."

I had never thought of it that way. If we were a couple, she could join me.

But still, I was hesitant.

"Somehow," I continued, "I'd like to keep my...options open."

"For who?" Cissnei asked.

It was a good question. I still don't know why I said that. To this day.

"Durham and Cory show no signs of breaking up," she continued. "You can't wait for her."

"No," I dismissed. "It's not Durham. If she did tried to get back together with me, I'll tell her not to let the door hit her in the ass on the way out."

"Yes!" approved Cissnei as she high-fived me. "So who else are you thinking of?"

"I'm not sure," I replied. "But I can't ask Aerith out until I know for sure."

"Snooze, you lose," Cissnei warned before going into her bedroom and shutting (and locking) her door.

With nothing further ado, I went into my own room. And that's when I got the third white rose, from the pajama-clad Tifa.

"You can be my cousin and friend at the same time, you know," she informed me. "I don't think I would've made it without you."

April 20, 0003

Two months later, Aerith was sitting across from me in the cafeteria. She had seemed a lot better since Valentine's Day, and hadn't cried since.

Still, there was one last loose end that had not been tied up with: the prom was in May. She had been counting on going with Zack; she had even booked a hotel room for them.

So, this particular day, she seemed in a really good mood about something. So, naturally, I had to ask.

"What's on your mind?" I asked.

"Zack still hasn't come back," Aerith began. "And prom's a month away."

"I know," I said, expecting her to start crying at any moment.

But she didn't. Instead, she began to twiddle her fingers.

"You have been a really good friend to me through all of this," she began. "And I can never thank you enough."

"Don't mention it," I assured her.

She smiled at me.

"So, Mr. Tobin Lockheart," began Aerith, "I was wondering if you would like to go to the prom with me."

I nearly gasped. Aerith Gainsborough was asking me to the prom.

"As friends?"

I did need to clarify.

"Of course," she replied. "Yeah, I know I had epic plans on going with Zack. I've had them since September. But I've realized and accepted that he's not coming back."

I was silent. This was a lot to take in.

"Tobin," Aerith began with a smile. "You never did answer."

"Yes!" I replied. "Yes, I will go to the prom with you."

"Great!" she exclaimed as she sprang to her feet.

I did the same.

Aerith ran up to me and hugged me.

"We're going to have so much fun!" she giggled.

THAT AFTERNOON...

Aerith came home with a huge smile on her face.

"Somebody's happy," Elmyra observed.

"I'm beyond happy," Aerith replied. "I have a date for the prom!"

"Really?" Elmyra asked. "Who?"

"Tobin!" Aerith happily exclaimed. "My nice Tobin!"

"That's wonderful!" Elmyra said. "Are you going as friends?"

"You bet," Aerith replied.

"Is he going to pick you up in a limo?" Elmyra asked.

"I think so," Aerith answered.

"Are you going to dance?" Elmyra then inquired.

"Mom, it's the prom!" Aerith insisted. "Of course we're going to dance!"

Elmyra paused.

"You're not going to...have sex with him, are you? Sorry, that's a mom question."

Aerith giggled.

"It's not the plan," she replied. "But if it happens, it happens."

And I'll end the chapter there. The answer to Elmyra's question lies in the next one.

That's one hell of a cliffhanger, and you know it.


	52. A Fond Farewell, and More Farewells

Premonitions II: Crisis Core

Chapter 52: A Fond Farewell, and More Farewells

May 23, 0003

"Ever since Gehrig died," said the prom dress-clad Aerith, "I've felt like everyone's been going away one by one."

"Don't let that get you down," insisted Elmyra, who was sitting next to her at the kitchen table. "Tonight's going to be a happy night."

Aerith giggled and put her hand on her head.

"I never thought I'd be going to the prom with Tobin, though!"

"You're not happy with that?" Elmyra asked.

"Of course I am," Aerith replied. "I get to spend the evening with the one man who's been there for me when I needed him."

Elmyra gave her daughter a look.

"Do you think that if you had never met Zack, do you think you and Tobin would have been a couple?"

"I don't know, mom," Aerith replied. "But, just for tonight, we kind of will be."

And she smiled.

MEANWHILE...

I stood in the lounge in my tux as Cissnei looked me over.

"Perfect!" she said.

Cissnei has taken me to get a tux; she had said I needed a woman's opinion. Now that I was almost ready to go, she gave me one last moment of pep talk.

"Tonight's the night you ask her," she advised me.

"Ask her what?"

"To be your girlfriend and come to Xing with you," Cissnei clarified.

"I don't know," I replied honestly. "I don't really want to ruin the night."

"Snooze, you loose," Cissnei warned me. "Your limo's waiting, by the way. Have a blast, okay?"

"Okay," I agreed.

Cissnei smiled and hugged me good-bye.

I then left the room and took the elevator down. Sure enough, the limo was waiting there for me.

We stopped in the slums and picked Aerith up, obviously. Elmyra kept us for a few moments to take a few pictures, of course.

And then, the rest of the night wrote itself.

LATER...

The prom was at some expensive hotel in Sector One. There was this huge ballroom, with a dance floor, and set tables for entrees.

Realizing that we were just here as friends, I figured that it would be best if we went straight for the tables. So I began to walk toward that area.

"Wait a minute!" Aerith exclaimed. "Where do you think you're going?"

"To the tables," I replied.

Aerith put her hands on her hips.

"Tobin," she began "nobody's eating yet. Everybody's dancing!"

I scanned the floor. Sure enough, everybody was dancing. Even Ronaldo was dancing with a girl.

"You want me to dance with you?" I asked.

"Well, yeah!" Aerith replied with a smile. "It's the prom, isn't it?"

I was silent. There was something I had to tell her.

"I've never danced with anyone before," I said.

"Oh, don't worry," Aerith assured me as she put her hands on my shoulders. "I'll show you. Put you hand on my hip."

I did as I was told. No, I wasn't like Cloud, who was somehow afraid to touch a girl. But the connection I began to feel with Aerith...we had been friends for years, but we...never danced together...

And I could tell that Aerith was feeling the same. They way her face was said it all. We were beginning to feel that connection. Tonight, I would tell her for sure.

LATER...

No, we didn't win king and queen, because, sir or madam, this is not some fairy tale story.

After hours fell off the clock, the prom ended, and the limo picked us up.

Aerith was smiling the whole time.

"I really had fun tonight," she said as she patted my shoulder. "I'm really glad I went to the prom with you."

"Me, too," I said.

I noticed we were approaching the exit to the slums. Soon, Aerith would be dropped off, and the night would be over. Now was the time to ask her.

And then, I noticed the limo passed the exit.

_That's weird,_ I thought. _I'm being dropped off first?_

In any event, I needed to gear up the courage to ask Miss Gainsborough to be my girlfriend so she could come to Xing with me. It wasn't working, though, and it was frustrating, as time was running out.

But when we got to my apartment building, we passed that, too.

_Does this driver know where we're going?_ I thought. _Is his GPS busted? Did we get in the wrong limo? Is he taking us somewhere to kill us?_

_Nah._

Finally, he did stop.

But it wasn't Aerith's house, and it wasn't my apartment building, either. It was a hotel.

_Of course,_ I remembered. _She had booked that hotel long ago for herself and Zack. I guess she couldn't get a refund. Or maybe she just wants to spend some time with herself. That's understandable: she's been through a lot like the rest of us. I'll walk her to her room and say good-bye. I'll try to end the night as positive as possible._

Aerith was solemn the on the way into the lobby. She walked to the front desk and simply said "reservation for Gainsborough." After being handed the keys, she walked to the elevator (her heels were really audible here) and signaled for me to follow her.

It was quiet on the way up; I figured Aerith was thinking about Zack, and how she would be cradled in his arms right now, or they would be making out in the elevator, or maybe how he would be slipping on the rock she had wanted so badly. But who knows?

We got off, and we silently walked to the room. Aerith swiped the key card and opened the door. She walked in, and I followed. I figured I would say good-bye and be on my way.

This room, by the way, was luxurious, with a king-sized bed, a hot tub surrounded by pillars, and a TV that was God knows how many inches long.

My companion stood with her back turned to me, quietly scanning the room.

"I booked this room last September," Aerith began. "I figured that as long as I had something booked, nothing could happen to me. And nothing happened to me."

I figured what she was thinking. She had been hoping to be here with Zack right now. We were good friends, but that's all we were. As Cissnei would say, I snoozed and lost.

And then, she turned to face me. But there was no sign of sadness or disappointment. Instead, she had a big smile on her face.

"Thanks again for making prom night wonderful," she said as she came up to me and hugged me. "And memorable."

"Don't mention it," I replied. "You deserve it."

She then turned her attention to the hot tub.

"I want to get in the hot tub," Aerith suddenly announced as she slid out of her heels.

I figured that was my cue to skedaddle, so I hugged her good-bye and turned for the door.

And then, she gently grabbed my arm.

"Hey!" she exclaimed. "Where do you think you're going?"

"Home," I replied. "You wanted to go in the hot tub. I can take a hint."

"Aren't you coming in with me?" she asked.

I shook my head.

"I don't have a bathing suit," I informed her.

In response, Aerith looked at me directly in the eyes.

"Neither do I," she replied.

And, before I could say anything, she leaned in and kissed me.

_Is this happening?_ I thought. _We're friends. I was going to ask her to be more but...it looks like she's asking for me._

She kissed me again and put her hands on my cheeks, confirming that it was indeed happening. I instinctively wrapped my arms around her waist. When she noticed, she took my right hand and moved it downward, letting it rest on her butt through her dress.

"You said you can take a hint, right?" she playfully asked with a smile.

I released her and took a step back.

"Aerith," I began, "are you sure."

She smiled and folded her hands behind her back.

"I'm sure," she replied. "Tobin, these last seven months have been the hardest of my life." She wiped a tear from her eye. "And you've been there with me every step of the way."

"I wanted to," I insisted.

"And you did," she continued. "You even took me to see Jeri Lyons for my birthday. You went above and beyond to make sure I was okay. Tobin, I'm yours tonight!"

"You mean it?" I asked.

It was still hard to believe. I never expected her to take it this far.

"Mmm-hmm," she confirmed with a smile. "Any way you want me."

"Don't feel obligated," I pleaded.

"I don't," she insisted. "It's an intimate, emotional experience, and I want to share it with you." She paused. "Two conditions, though."

"Shoot," I replied in a shaky voice.

"Obviously, nobody can find out about this," Aerith requested.

"No worries," I assured her.

"And Tobin," she continued, "after this...we go back to being friends like we always were." She then held out her pinky finger. "Promise me?"

I didn't know what to make of that second request at the time. I was then in the moment.

Her beautiful green eyes were looking at me sincerely. She was awaiting an answer.

I slowly raised my hand, and both of our pinkies met.

We then lowered our hands.

And then, it was my turn to express how I felt. Slowly, I raised my hands and placed them on Aerith's shoulders, over the straps to her dress.

She gazed at me, waiting.

I gently pushed the straps aside, causing her dress to immediately fall to the ground.

Aerith gasped as she stood before me in full nudity. She quickly threw her arms around me and kissed me again.

I picked her up slightly during the kiss, causing her to kiss me harder.

"Forget the hot tub for now!" she gasped. "Let's do it on the bed!"

TWO HOURS LATER...

"Can I ask you something?" I asked.

"Go ahead," Aerith approved.

"Why do you call sex 'doing it?'"

She giggled.

"It just sounds naughtier that way," she said before placing her hands on my face and kissing me again.

We did spend some time in the hot tub. We since dried off, and we're now sitting across from each other on the bed with our legs crossed pretzel-style, still naked as the day we were born.

"That was really special," she sighed. "Thank you."

"Thank you," I replied as I pressed my lips against hers.

Aerith looked to her right as I gently ran my hand through her hair. She giggled after spotting the pile of my clothes that she had practically ripped of.

She then giggled to herself.

"What's so funny?" I asked.

She looked down.

"Well, we've just seen more of each other than we ever thought we would!"

"You okay with that?" I asked.

"I can live with it!" Aerith replied as she kissed me once more.

It was weird to process. She had asked me to revert to her friend after tonight. And yet, she was kissing me non-stop. There had to be something there. I was slowly realizing that this, if any, was the time to ask.

"Hey!" she playfully reprimanded. "Are you staring at my vagina?"

I began to say something, but she stopped me.

"JK," she giggled. "I don't care. I've been peeking at you any chance I get."

She then kissed me again.

That did it. I needed to ask her now.

"Aerith," I began, "I need to ask you something."

"You can ask anything," she replied with a smile. "We've seen each other naked, haven't we?"

I smiled back. I then looked her in the eyes.

"When I go to Xing after graduation...I want you to come with me."

Her face became silent and neutral.

"I want us to go together," I continued.

"But I know you can't take a friend," she replied.

"I can't," I confirmed.

So this was the moment. It would make or break the rest of our lives.

"But you could come if you were something else," I said. "Aerith Lee Gainsborough, will you be my girlfriend?"

She remained still as a statue. It was definitely a lot to take in.

And then, she got up and knelt on her knees, and took both of my hands in hers. She looked at me, and he eyes were wet.

"Oh, Tobin," she began, emotion clearly in her voice. "I would love to. I would love to go with you to Xing as your girlfriend." She paused, and leaned in closer. "But that's not my destiny."

My heart sank. I knew right there that she would be letting me down.

"I need to stay here, Tobin," she continued. "My life and future are in Midgar. My dream is to be a housewife in the city and raise a family in peace."

A tear rolled down her face. I knew she wanted to come. But I also knew that was not the life for her. She would be following an elite Shinra trooper around the world, wondering how safe he would be. She certainly was well aware of how Elmyra's husband went to Wutai and never came back.

"All things have to end. Life isn't a sitcom, Tobin," she said. "It doesn't just reset itself every week."

"I know," I replied, with my head hung in sadness.

"Tobin," Aerith said, "when we graduate, our life together will be over. But I promise I will remember you forever." She closed her eyes. "Just please tell me you'll remember me?"

"I'll remember you," I promised, as I wanted to cry myself.

Aerith wrapped her arms around me and hugged me tightly.

It was a bittersweet moment.

I didn't even give a shit that I got one hell of a view of her ass through the mirror.

ONE MONTH LATER...

Aerith and I, as promised, reverted to friends after the prom. And, as promised, we never told anyone we had sex that night.

All that was left to do was to count down the days until graduation. And as the days went down, my time left as Aerith's friend went down as well.

And then, the day arrived. We wore white caps and gowns, and we packed into the school stadium. It had been a weird time in high school, and now that it was ending, I had no idea what too feel. I was going straight to Xing, after all.

We threw our caps into the air. Cissnei and Tifa came and congratulated me, and, of, course, took pictures of me as well.

On the way out, when I was all alone, I found Aerith in the parking lot. She had ditched her cap and gown, and was standing there in a white spaghetti-strap dress. She had a look of full emotion on her face.

"So this is it then?" she asked.

I nodded.

"I'll be leaving for Xing in a few days," I said in a shaky voice.

Aerith then put her hands on my shoulders. Tears were already coming from both of her eyes. It was the end, and we both knew it.

"Even when we first met our freshman year," she began, "I knew we'd eventually graduate and go our separate ways."

"But I promised I'll never forget you," I assured her. "And I'm keeping it."

"Please don't forget me," Aerith tearfully said.

So I promised again.

And then, Aerith wrapped her arms around me, and we hugged for the last time.

I then went to my car and pulled out of the parking space. With my last glimpse, I saw Aerith facing the setting sun, and her right hand on her mouth, with tears streaming down her face.

A chapter was now closed.

THE NEXT DAY...

On the sixty-sixth floor of the Shinra Building, Cissnei, Reno, Rude, and Tseng were seated at the back of the table in the board room.

"What are we doing here?" Reno asked anyone who might answer.

"Something big," Rude replied.

"How can you tell?" Reno inquired.

"Because they usually don't let us up here," Rude explained.

"Maybe we're getting a raise?" Cissnei suggested.

"Highly unlikely," Reno dismissed.

In came President Shinra, followed by Rufus, Heidegger, Scarlet, Palmer, and Reeve. They walked past the seated Turks through the boardroom and sat at the opposite end of the long table.

"Thank you for coming on short notice," President Shinra began.

"Any time," Tseng replied.

"Reno," began Rufus, "Tseng, Rude, and Cissnei. We called you here because there have been some changes here at Shinra."

The four Turks felt their stomachs tighten; that was obviously not good news for them.

"The Nibelheim incident has forced several reforms within the company," President Shinra added. "We are now housing the contents of the Nibelheim Reactor in the Shinra Building; a quite continuously expensive change for us."

"And as a result," Rufus continued, "we required some budget restructuring."

"So you're firing one of us!" Reno objected.

"No, not exactly," Rufus assured them. "More like a furlough while being paid half your salary."

"What?!" exclaimed Cissnei.

"You'll be reactivated at some point for sure," President Shinra added.

"But one of you will be taking a long time off," Rufus announced.

All four Turks had sweaty palms.

"So which one of us is it?" Reno addressed the inevitable question.

"I haven't decided," President Shinra replied as he stood up. "Nor will I."

He then calmly walked over to the nervous, seated Turks, and produced four straws in his right hand.

Cissnei, Reno, and Rude each took a turn drawing a straw.

THE STUFF THAT MIGHT HAVE GONE UNNOTICED...

This chapter marks Aerith's departure from the story arc. This leaves her as one of the few major characters to depart before the final act, and one of the even fewer (along with Genesis) to depart without a full, final resolution (other than quietly dying offscreen during the eventual time jump back to the present).


	53. Xing: Year One

Premonitions II: Crisis Core

Chapter 53: Xing: Year One

August 31, 0003

Xing was located in the mountains on the Western Peninsula, a reasonable distance south of Wutai. Xing and Wutai were ancient enemies; it was rumored that the Wutai War started because the Shinra was making business deals with Xing.

In any event, all buildings looked similar to Wutai's, except for one: the cabin we were staying at. This cabin was on the top of one of the smaller mountains. It was a modest adobe with a lounge and kitchen, and a training room in the basement. The top floor had five bedrooms: one for Zangan, one for myself, one for my cousin, and one for the two other trainees who were due to arrive later that day.

"I never thought I'd ever be in a place like this," Tifa said as she gazed at the landscaping from outside.

She had recently turned sixteen, but didn't really celebrate, other than Cissnei and I treating her to the diner.

"Neither have I," I admitted.

"It feels so...isolated," she continued.

"Is that a bad thing?" I asked.

"I don't think so," Tifa replied. "Not to mention, there's a nearby town with everything we need."

"But," I added.

I knew there was a but.

"I miss Midgar," she said. "And I really miss Nibelheim."

"I'm sure they'll rebuild it eventually," I assured her.

"It wouldn't be the same," she dismissed. "But, you know what? It doesn't matter."

"Come again?" I asked.

"After all this training is over," Tifa continued, "we'll be rebuilt. And we won't ever be the same again."

THAT NIGHT...

Tifa was helping me set up my room when there was suddenly a knock on my door.

"That would be Zangan," she said.

"I'll get it," I announced as I answered the door.

And, I'll be damned, it wasn't Zangan.

"Hey!" exclaimed Cissnei as she hugged me.

"Cissnei!" I exclaimed. "What are you doing here?"

"Training!" she replied with a smile.

EVEN LATER...

I sat alone on the mountain top, listening to the crickets chirping. I realized this would be a difference I would need to get used to. Instead of buildings, I was surrounded by pine trees. All of the stars were visible, something I hadn't seen since I lived at home.

Suddenly I heard footsteps, but I knew right away that they could only belong to someone I knew.

I turned my head to see Cissnei approaching from behind. She seemed quiet and solemn. I could tell there was something she hadn't told me.

"Don't tell me you came out here to sleep?" I asked.

"Actually," Cissnei replied as she sat down next to me, "I came here to check on you."

"I'm fine," I assured her.

"Don't lie to your bestie," she warned as she poked me. "You seem off. More so than you usually do."

Cissnei, mind you, was probably the smartest woman in my life. There was no fooling her.

"It just feels so...different," I said. "I grew up in the middle of nowhere, then I spend four years in Midgar, then I'm nowhere again."

"I hear," Cissnei said. "I've never really been nowhere."

"I miss my life in Midgar, and all the misadventures," I continued. "I guess I just grew up."

"We all have to, sometime," she said.

And then, she hung her head.

"Something must be eating you, too," I observed.

Cissnei sighed.

"I've been let go by the Shinra," she said.

I almost wanted to gasp.

"You were fired?!"

"Not exactly," she replied. "I'm furloughed for half salary."

FLASHBACK...

Cissnei stared blankly at the short straw she had just drawn.

"Cissnei's going to cry!" sang Palmer. "Cissnei's going to cry!"

"Palmer!" President Shinra reprimanded.

...END FLASHBACK

"But I didn't cry," Cissnei finished. "I never have."

"Never, ever?" I asked.

"Can you believe it?" she laughed. "I'm twenty years old, and I've never cried in my life."

It was amazing. You think you know everything about someone, and then they say something that blows it all out of proportion.

So Cissnei never shed a tear in her life.

"Cissnei," I began, "why did you come here to train? I mean, you didn't look for another job closer to home or anything?"

"Because I wanted to keep what I had left," Cissnei replied as she put her hand on my shoulder.

And she smiled.

So Cissnei basically took up the training to keep her bestie.

That really meant a lot.

September 1, 0003

The next day, the four of us stood in line at attention as Zangan paced back and forth.

"This is it, ladies and gentlemen," he began. "Now begins four years of training. When those four years are over, you will all be dead. In your place will be the most elite martial artists known to man." He paused, and scanned us four. "I need the names of the future deceased."

"Tobin," I responded.

"Tifa," responded my cousin.

"Cissnei," responded my best friend.

"Karnak," responded the blue-hair fourth trainee.

"Last name?" asked Zangan.

"Just Karnak," he replied.

I know you started reading this journal to find the coordinates of the Island Gulag. No worries, we're getting to that. So I won't waste time giving you a martial arts lesson.

Instead, I'll tell you what you've probably expected. Cissnei, Karnak, Tifa, and I spent six hours a day kicking each other's asses. Zangan instructed us to show no mercy, and we followed that command faithfully.

On the first day, Tifa gave me a bloody nose.

On the second day, Cissnei gave Tifa a bloody nose.

Karnak was the nastiest of us all. On the third day, he gave all of us bloody noses, including Zangan.

This was one hell of an internship.

December 15, 0003

Weeks and then months dragged along. I ended up with more aches and bruises than I can humanly recall.

One night, I forgot to check my mail, so I went and got it kind of late. It was a letter from my parents.

On the way back to my room, I encountered Cissnei in the lounge.

"Hey there!" she greeted.

"Hey," I replied back.

"Getting the mail this late?" she asked.

"I kind of forgot," I replied.

"Tobin, Tobin, Tobin," Cissnei playfully reprimanded as she shook her head. "You got to get your mail on time. What if you had a check waiting for you?"

"I noticed you never check the mail," I playfully retorted as I sat down on the couch.

"I never get any mail," she replied as she sat down next to me.

"You never got anything from your family?"

She was silent.

And suddenly, I wanted to hit myself. I knew that was something I shouldn't have asked.

"I don't have a family," Cissnei finally answered sadly.

I didn't see Cissnei with a sad face that often, but that was the second saddest look I had ever seen her have. I'll tell you about the saddest later.

"Look, Cissnei," I said, "I'm really sorry. That was rude of me."

"No it wasn't," she insisted. "I've never really told anyone of my background."

It was true; I knew her since we became roommates, but I had no idea what her life was like before that. I had a feeling I was about to find out.

"I was born November 30, 1982," Cissnei began.

That would make her twenty-one years old, two and a half years older than me. It also meant that I had just missed her birthday. Damn.

"How come you never told me that was your birthday?" I asked. "We could have celebrated."

Cissnei closed her eyes.

"Because that was also the day..."

_Shit,_ I thought. _I really keep running my mouth, don't I?_

"That was also the day my mom died," she finished.

_She must have died giving birth to her,_ I realized.

Cissnei didn't cry, of course. She never did.

"She was on the run, and went into labor," she continued. "She was tracked down in the middle of nowhere."

"Who tracked her down?" I asked. "If you don't mind me asking."

I did realize that asking would show I cared.

"Wutai," I replied. "My mom was a private investigator. Someone had hired her to prove her husband was cheating on her. Well, she had the proof, but the husband had connections. So he sent them after her. He didn't care that she was nine months pregnant. He just wanted his secret safe."

"And that's when you were born?" I asked.

Cissnei nodded.

"My mom collapsed on the run while in labor," she replied. "And she passed out, so she couldn't push. They had to cut me out with a shuriken, and it killed her."

I was silent. It was something else about my best friend that I never knew. I put my hand on her shoulder for support.

"I used to call myself Shuriken, sometimes," Cissnei continued. "To honor my mother."

"I heard that was your nickname once," I mentioned.

"So I lived in an orphanage until I was six, when the Shinra discovered me," she said. "They found me fighting with a flock of swans," she continued. "That's how I got my other nickname."

"Other nickname?" I asked.

"Cissnei," she replied. "It means 'swan' in an old language."

"Wait a minute," I began. "You're saying Cissnei isn't your real name?"

"Not my legal name," she replied. "But it's identified me for all these years, so it's as real as it can get."

I understood where she was coming from.

But, as a result, I've spent the last four years wondering what her real name is.

May 3, 0004

Tifa's seventeenth birthday came along, and Cissnei, Karnak, and I celebrated by taking her to an age restricted movie without an adult. If I didn't mention it earlier, Tifa hated chick flicks; she preferred action and horror, which would make any guy want to go to a movie with her.

Tifa gave me a big hug when we got to the cabin.

"Thanks for everything!" she said.

"No prob," I assured her.

She then took a look at her phone; the four of us had taken a selfie outside the theater.

"You know what's funny?" she continued. "This is only my third birthday with pictures?"

"Really?" I asked.

Tifa nodded.

She showed me a picture of her thirteenth birthday of herself at the bowling alley in skinny jeans and a green crop top. Next to her was Cloud. This must of been the time he got into a fight with Rufus.

The next picture she showed me was when she was ten. Again, Cloud was there.

I looked at Tifa, and noticed her smile was gone. No need to ask why; she was still longing to be reunited with her old friend. And it almost happened. But now, I didn't even know whether he was alive.

"What was your first memory of him?" I asked.

I don't know why I asked that; I thought it might help her to talk it off, I guess.

"My first memory of him?" Tifa asked. "I was a baby sitting on my mom's lap. I can't believe I can even remember that long ago."

"You do have a good memory," I pointed out. "Better than mine, anyway."

"It's funny," she continued. "Because we both have the same first memory of each other."

You know, if I believed in soulmates, I would have thought Cloud and Tifa might be it.

THAT NIGHT...

I had trouble sleeping that night, so I dressed and went outside.

The crickets were chirping loudly as always, and a gentle breeze flowed through the evergreens. It really seemed like the opposite of Midgar, even though the town of Xing was less than a mile away.

As I turned a corner of the cabin, I saw a girl in a tee shirt and jeans on her knees. At first, I thought it was Tifa. But, instead, on closer inspection, I realized that it was Cissnei. I also realized that her hands were locked together.

_Is she praying?_ I asked myself.

"Dear God," she began.

_She is!_ I realized. Cissnei didn't seem like the religious type, and she always slept in on Sunday, so this looked like something serious.

"I know we haven't talked in a while," she continued, "but if you are there...can I have a family?"

I'll admit that part of my heart stung when I heard that.

"I know that was asking too much," Cissnei said. "I already have Tobin as my best friend, and I can't be happier to call him mine. I guess I should count my blessings. Sorry to bother you."

She then stood up.

I realized then that I needed to get out of there before she noticed me, she would flip out if she had known I was eavesdropping.

So I ran across to the other side of the cabin, and, low and behold...

_There_ was Tifa, staring at the stars, just like that other time.

"Hi mom," she began.

And I felt a sting again. I knew exactly what she wanted to talk to poor Aunt Clare about.

"Well," Tifa continued, "I'm seventeen today. It's been...nearly four years since I've seen Cloud last."

Just like last time, the stars didn't respond.

"I don't like this life without him, mom," she continued, as tears began to fall. "Is he still here, or is he there with you?"

I wish I knew the answer to that question myself.

"If he's still here," Tifa requested at last, "can you somehow send him back?"

And so it was, at the age of seventeen, that Tifa realized what she truly wanted in life.


	54. Xing: Year Two

Premonitions II: Crisis Core

Chapter 54: Xing: Year Two

September 15, 0004

We were all standing in our gis on the lawn behind the cabin.

"So," continued Zangan, as he looked directly at me. "How old are you?"

"Nineteen," I replied.

"And how old is Tifa?"

"Seventeen," I answered.

"And how tall are you?"

"Five ten," I responded.

"And how tall is Tifa?"

"Five five," I replied.

"And are you a boy or a girl?" Zangan asked.

"I'm a guy," I said in response.

"And is Tifa a boy or a girl?"

"She's a girl," I answered.

"And how much do you weigh?"

"About a hundred and sixty," I informed him.

"And how much does Tifa weigh?"

Tifa folded her arms and gave me the evil eye.

"I don't think that's any of my business," I replied. "Why do many questions?"

In response, Zangan pointed his finger in my direction.

Tifa darted toward me, knelt down, grabbed my legs, and lifted me up over her shoulder.

"Whoa!" I shouted as I looked helplessly at Cissnei and Karnak, who appeared upside down to me.

"At the end of this training," Zangan continued, "your age, weight, height, and gender will no long matter."

"Can you put me down now?" I pleaded.

"This could save your life one day," Tifa said with a grin.

November 22, 0004

One day, I went alone to a restaurant in the town of Xing, and who do I see but Cid Highwind at the bar, drinking a beer.

"Yo!" he greeted, loud enough for the whole bar to hear.

By this point, Cid was a world celebrity. He was almost the first man in space.

I say almost, because he wasn't. The previous spring, he was supposed to be launched into space, but there was one thing he never expected: his bumbling fourteen-year-old intern fucked it up.

What happened was that she was checking one of the oxygen tanks, unreasonably fearing that it might explode. Now, technically, he still could have launched the rocket, but he would have fried his intern in the process. So he stopped the launch himself.

That all being said, another launch was scheduled a few months later, or so I had heard...

"What do you mean, 'cancelled?'" I asked him.

"That's exactly what I mean, kid," Cid replied. "Fuckin' budget cuts. Damned fucking Shera looking out for me too much and being a goddam worry wart!"

"Shera?" I asked. "Oh, your intern."

"See, I don't know if that shit would have really mattered anyway," Cid continued. "Even if that oxygen tank blew up the rocket with me in it, it wouldn't have made a difference."

"Why do you say that?" I asked.

"You sure as shit wouldn't believe me if I told you," he continued.

"You don't want to know what I've seen," I assured him. "Tell me."

Cid downed a shot of vodka.

"I can't die," he replied.

"What do you mean you can't die?" I inquired. "You're saying that if I took a gun and shot you between the eyes, you wouldn't die?"

"Not exactly," he dismissed.

"So you can die?"

"Well," Cid corrected himself, "I always get reborn. I can die, but I'm always back eventually."

He then signaled for another shot.

"You're back?" I inquired.

This was the weirdest drunk talk I had ever heard.

"I could die in battle," he explained as he downed the shot. "Or I could die of a sickness on a deserted island. But, no matter what, I'm always reborn again."

He was obviously drunk. I was starting to wonder if he was going to die right then and there.

"Hey you!" called the bar tender in my direction. "Are you over twenty-one?"

I shook my head, and got up.

I just wanted to leave. It was obvious that Mr. Highwind had lost it.

January 20, 0005

We were bored that day, so we did something really bizarre: we tried to make Cissnei cry. I know that sounds like a dick move, but she wanted it as much as we did. Cissnei, now twenty-two, has still never cried in her life, and was beginning to wonder whether there was something wrong with her.

I gave her an onion to sniff; it didn't do a damned thing. Hell, it wouldn't have counted anyway, as it wasn't an emotional reaction.

Then, Tifa made the supreme sacrifice: she took Cissnei to see a chick flick. It was one where the guy who always had his shirt off died at the end. That failed as well.

Finally, Karnak challenged her to a fist-to-fist martial arts session. He struck her in the face many times. Still nothing.

"Honestly," Cissnei said at the end of the day, "I think I'm physically incapable of crying." She paused, and hung her head. "And I can't even cry about that."

February 14, 0005

One thing we realized on Valentine's Day was that all four of us were single, so we celebrated Single's Awareness Day by going to a traditional Xing restaurant.

"To all singles!" we shouted as we raised our glasses.

Of course, they were all filled with soda, as, of the four of us, everyone but Cissnei was under twenty-one; Tifa wasn't even eighteen yet.

The reason I bring this otherwise uneventful night up is because of what happened as we were getting ready to leave the restaurant. I saw, out of the corner of my eye, Tifa talking to Karnak. I was only able to make out one thing she had said:

"It seems like I've known you for years."

That left me scratching my head.

Later that night, when Karnak had gone to bed and Cissnei was presumably sleeping like a cartoon animal, I found Tifa sitting on the couch.

"What's up?" I asked.

"It's something about Karnak," Tifa answered. "Maybe I like him or maybe...something else."

This was a stunner. Tifa liking a guy other than Cloud? This didn't add up.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"I don't know," Tifa replied. "I just don't know."

May 3, 0005

"Wow," I said in disbelief as Tifa walked me to my room. "My cousin's legal."

"I'm still too young to drink," she replied with a smile.

It was Tifa's eighteenth birthday, and the four of us celebrated with dinner and a movie.

"But, as always," she continued as she hugged me, "thanks for everything."

She then got that sad look on her face.

"Sorry," she quickly apologized. "I know I can't keep dwelling on it forever."

"Don't worry," I assured her. "It's okay."

And then, more tears began to form.

"We went trick-or-treating together every year since I was three. We always went to school together. Tobin, I'm so sorry, but just about every memory of my childhood involves him!"

And then, all of a sudden, the tears stopped.

Tifa quickly dried her eyes, and looked at me.

"Tobin," she began, "something just crossed my mind."

"What's that?" I asked.

"Do you think Karnak could actually be Cloud?" she asked.

"Highly unlikely," I replied. "I remember Cloud being a lot shorter."

"He could have grown," Tifa suggested. "I haven't seen him in five years. He'd be nineteen right now, and he has to be taller."

"But what makes you think Karnak's him?" I asked. "I don't remember Cloud's hair being blue."

"He could have dyed it," she replied. "And I think that's what this feeling is that I have. Karnak's making the vibe. The only time I felt that vibe was was when Cloud was around." She paused. "And that trooper who came right before Nibelheim was destroyed."

Mind you, I was still, at that time, oblivious to both Karnak's creation and Cloud's fate, so I couldn't prove her wrong.

And so it was, at the age of eighteen, that Tifa made the worst assumption of her life.


	55. Xing: Year Three

Premonitions II: Crisis Core

Chapter 55: Xing: Year Three

September 30, 0005

"So let me get this straight," I groaned. "Tifa's allowed to kick me in the balls?"

I was doubled on the ground in the fetal position, clutching the respective part. The gi-clad Tifa was standing proudly over me with her arms folded.

"Relax," Zangan assured me. "This won't affect your fertility the least."

"That wasn't my question," I insisted. "A girl can kick a guy in the balls here?"

"Absolutely," Zangan informed me.

"But does that mean a guy here is allowed to kick a girl in the...um...beeeeeeeeep?" I inquired.

"Absolutely not," Zangan informed me.

"But last year, you said gender wouldn't matter when our training was done," I protested.

"Is your training done?" Zangan asked.

I groaned and shook my head.

Tifa was at least good enough to help me to my feet.

December 24, 0005

The next few months were typical martial arts training. We kicked each other's asses, but nobody further got their balls-or lady parts-kicked, which was a relief.

We went to a Wutai-themed restaurant on Christmas Eve. Yes, I know, I've mentioned that Xing and Wutai are sworn enemies, but they love each other's food.

This was one of those restaurants where you sat on the floor at a table. I'll point out that there was a karaoke bar there, and we were all begging each other to do a song. Eventually, each and every one of us ended up giving in. Karnak did one first. Then Tifa did one. Since it was Christmas Eve, it was all confined to Christmas songs.

Then the damndest thing happened. The restaurant manager, who had been watching the entire time, suddenly plucked Cissnei and I to do a song. An a cappella, couples' Christmas song.

Rather than humiliate ourselves, we went along with it.

Most people in the restaurant were probably mesmerized by Cissnei's surprisingly powerful pipes. Cissnei had a beautiful mezzo-soprano voice that I had never known existed. It struck me the moment she opened her mouth, and I practically spent the whole song thinking: this is Cissnei? It was a side of her that I had never seen (or heard, to be technical).

And then, something happened that I never expected in my life: I was mesmerized by her singing.

A few people were probably checking her out physically, though she was wearing an ugly red sweater and a pair of black slacks, which most guys would find anything but sexy.

But I know one person, after hearing Cissnei croon and watch me become mesmerized, was thinking something else.

And, at that moment, Tifa thought what you were most likely thinking already:

_Tobin and Cissnei would make a cute couple._

May 3, 0006

FYI, nothing was ever said about the possibility of Cissnei and I becoming a couple (though I'm sure you had it in the back of your head) until Tifa's nineteenth birthday.

We celebrated with the four of us...again.

We went to dinner and a movie...again.

So, instead, I'll skip to the part where Karnak and I went in for the night, and Tifa and Cissnei were laying on their backs, on the ground amongst the evergreens.

"We have to celebrate your birthday when it comes around again," Tifa began.

"That's all right," Cissnei dismissed. "I'll be twenty-four."

"Well," Tifa continued, "what would you want?"

"All I've ever really wanted was a family," Cissnei began. "But my mom died when I was born."

"What about your dad?" Tifa asked. "Is he still alive?"

Cissnei shook her head.

"I looked up the records," she replied. "He died when I was four."

Tifa then looked over at her friend. An idea popped in her head.

"You could always get married," she suggested. "Your husband will be your family. Maybe you'd have kids, too."

"I don't think I'll ever get married," Cissnei said. "They say nine out of ten people get married, but I think I'll be one of the unlucky ones who don't."

"What makes you say that?" Tifa asked. "Everybody likes you."

"I've never had a boyfriend," Cissnei replied. "I'm twenty-four and I've never even been on a date or kissed anybody, let alone had a boyfriend."

"Neither have I," Tifa said. "But I'd like to get married someday."

Cissnei was silent. All the two girls heard was the sound of crickets chirping through the tall evergreens.

"Why don't you try dating someone?" Tifa suggested.

Cissnei began to laugh.

"I'm a Turk, not a love-starved twit!" she replied.

Then, Tifa began to laugh.

"What's so funny?" Cissnei asked.

"I was just thinking back to history class," Tifa replied. "Do you know who you remind me of?"

Cissnei sighed.

"I know. Do you know how many people told me I reminded them of her?"

Tifa shook her head.

"Well," Cissnei continued, "you're not the first."

"But you do," Tifa continued. "You even have a surprisingly incredible singing voice, just like her!"

"Thank you," Cissnei said. "Look, I know what you're going to say next. Yeah, I know she did end up falling in love with someone. But it's not for me. I don't know anyone, and people my age are hard to come by."

"What's wrong with Tobin?" Tifa finally asked.

"Tobin?" Cissnei replied. "It's a completely different relationship. That, and I'm more than two years older than him."

"But when you two were singing together on Christmas Eve, all I was thinking was 'they'd make a cute couple.'"

"He's my best friend," Cissnei finally replied. "But that's the thing. It's a completely different relationship. It's like saying an elephant and an elephant seal are the same thing. Cars aren't better than planes, but if you're going to try and fly a car, good luck with that."

"I disagree," Tifa dismissed. "Cloud has been my best friend since I can remember. If I had to pick a guy to be with...it would be him."

"You're still trying to track him down?" Cissnei asked.

"I am," Tifa replied. "I would give anything to see him again."

"Let me ask you this," Cissnei began. "Do you dream about ripping his clothes off?"

"Not really," Tifa replied. "No."

"What would you do if he touched your butt?" Cissnei asked.

"I don't know," Tifa laughed. "I'd probably just bust him over the head."

"I rest my case," Cissnei announced.

"It's not all about sex," Tifa said. "It's like when we're little kids, and we see couples in love, and all we're thinking about is how much they love each other." She paused. "Then we have the sperm and the egg talk and it kind of ruins it."

"You have a point there," Cissnei agreed.

"You know what really sucks?" Tifa continued. "If my dad never cheated, I'd still have a parent to go home to. Sex can be evil sometimes."

"Let me ask you this," began Cissnei. "If you were changing or in the shower, and Cloud walked in on you and saw everything, what would you do?"

"I'd scream and crawl into the fetal position because I'd be so embarrassed," Tifa replied.

"You know if you get married, you'll have sex," Cissnei pointed out.

"I'm aware," Tifa replied.

"He'll see your privates," Cissnei warned.

"I'm aware," Tifa replied.

"He'll see your butt," Cissnei warned.

"I'm aware," Tifa replied.

"And you seriously want to marry him?" Cissnei asked.

"I wouldn't marry him now," Tifa explained. "I'm only nineteen. This didn't happen over night. It happened when I ran away from home."

"You ran away from home?!" Cissnei asked.

"When my parents split," Tifa informed her.

FLASHBACK...

Cloud suddenly heard the sound of stones being thrown at his window. He got up out of bed and made his way to the window, where he could see Tifa standing twenty or so feet below. She was in her pajamas, and her hair was a mess. She was obviously in a difficult state.

"What's up?" asked Cloud.

"Can I come up?" Tifa requested. "Something happened."

Cloud scratched his head. "It's eleven," he replied. "Don't you have to be in school tomorrow?"

"Yes," Tifa replied. "But it's not that I'm going!"

Cloud then disappeared into his window. Tifa's heart began to sink until he returned and threw a rope ladder over the window.

"Climb aboard," he said.

"Thanks," replied Tifa as she adjusted her duffel bag and climbed up and through the window.

"No problem," Cloud replied as he helped her through the window and into his room.

"Where did you get that ladder?" Tifa asked.

"My mom got it for me when I was seven," Cloud replied. "Remember that movie about fire safety we saw and it had those ladders?"

"Oh yeah," Tifa reminded herself.

"You're in your pajamas," Cloud observed aloud. He also observed that her eyes were red and bloodshot.

"I know," Tifa replied as she sat on the rug and lowered her head. "I'm so sorry to intrude," she apologized. "But I can't stay in my house right now."

"I know," Cloud said. "I heard the fighting."

"How much?" asked Tifa.

"Something about money," Cloud replied. "But it got kind of muffled after that."

"Then you didn't hear the worst of it," Tifa told him.

"I take it you need to get away from it?" Cloud asked.

Tifa nodded. "If that's okay."

"Of course," Cloud replied. "You kind of saved me back there."

"I like it better in here," Tifa continued. "Really, I feel safer."

And then, Tifa began to cry. She was not the type to cry in front of people, but this time she simply could not control herself.

"Tifa?" asked Cloud as he sat down across from her. "What happened?"

"My parents are getting a divorce," Tifa replied sadly as she wiped her tears.

"I'm sorry," Cloud replied.

"Thanks," said Tifa. "But I honestly don't know if that's a bad thing or a good thing. I've seen my mom cry more the past year than the previous eleven."

"How are you feeling?" Cloud asked. "Sorry. That was a stupid question. Otherwise, you wouldn't be here."

"I really don't know," Tifa said. "It's really the fighting I need to be away from."

"So what happens now?" Cloud asked.

"My mom's not going to live here anymore," Tifa replied. "Just my dad and I"

"What gave him the right to decide that?" Cloud asked.

"Money," Tifa replied. "He's got it. And an attorney."

"Why's he doing this in the first place?"

"She blasted the credit card again," Tifa replied.

"And he's divorcing over that?!" Cloud exclaimed.

Tifa shook her head. "That has to be a cover up," she replied. "Personally, I think he's seeing someone else."

"You think so?"

"He's always been coming home late recently," Tifa continued. "He said it was overtime, but his work is always deserted after five. It's just his nature. I heard that before he married my mom, he had almost as many partners as President Shinra."

"I'm sorry," Cloud said. "Is there anything I can do? I've never seen you cry like this."

"Would you understand?" asked Tifa. "Parents divorcing is a devastating thing!"

"I wouldn't," Cloud replied. "I don't have two parents. Knowing who your father is is a luxury in itself."

"Oh," said Tifa. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay," Cloud assured her.

And as Cloud continued to sit across from her, he suddenly noticed something. Tifa was barefoot. He didn't see it as much of a big deal, but she was always a sneaker girl. The fact that she was barefoot caused him a sense of softness from her.

"Cloud," Tifa continued, "Can I please stay here tonight?"

"My mom would kill us both," Cloud replied.

"Your mom doesn't need to know, does she?" Tifa pressed. "And tomorrow, since neither of us are going to school, we can have a whole day to ourselves!"

Cloud was stunned. "You're playing hooky?!"

"Come on!" Tifa protested. "It'll be just like when it was before we started going to school. What do you say?"

"I suppose," Cloud relented. He then pointed to the sofa across the room. "It's yours."

"Thanks, Cloud," she replied with a smile. She walked over to the sofa and put her stuff down.

Meanwhile, Cloud climbed into his bed and pulled the covers over himself.

"What's wrong?" asked Tifa.

"I'm tired from the day," Cloud replied. "I was asleep before the fighting woke me up."

"I see," said Tifa. And then, to Cloud's surprise, Tifa walked over and climbed into the bed beside him.

"Hey!" Cloud exclaimed. "What are you doing?!"

"Relax!" Tifa insisted. "Don't tell me you'd rather me yell across the room for your mom to hear?"

Cloud sighed. "You have a point."

And then, he fell asleep.

THE NEXT DAY...

The noon sun shone over Cloud's backyard as the two friends were immersed in the pool's cool water.

Tifa was wearing a yellow one-piece. Cloud was wearing a pair of purple trunks. Tifa noticed first and couldn't help but point it out.

"We're complimentary colors," she said.

Cloud didn't know what that meant, so he just nodded. "Are you sure your mom won't see us?" he asked.

"I'm sure," Tifa insisted. "You can't see the pool from my house."

"I've never been over," Cloud said. "So I wouldn't know."

"That's right," Tifa reminded herself. "Your mom won't catch us, would she?"

"She's still not going to be home for another five or six hours," Cloud replied. "And I only have one parent to worry about."

Cloud was then silent. The fact that he had been raised by a single mother wasn't something he was proud of, but it did work out for him from time to time.

"Would you ever try to find out who he is and maybe track him down?" Tifa suddenly asked.

"Who?" asked Cloud, though he quickly realized whom she was talking about.

"Your father," Tifa replied.

"I've always been thinking he died," Cloud said. "My mom always refers to him in the past tense. She wouldn't do that if he was still alive."

Tifa then turned on her back and began to do a backstroke. "What do you think happens?" she asked.

"What happens?"

"When we die," Tifa clarified as she reached the wall of the pool and turned a hundred and eighty degrees.

"I dunno," Cloud replied. "I think we just cease to be."

"How do you know?" asked Tifa.

"I don't know," Cloud replied. "I just believe it. There's no reason to believe otherwise."

"Prove it, then," challenged Tifa as she reached the other wall and turned again.

Cloud sighed. "The burden of proof isn't on me; it's on someone who wants to prove something exists. What do you believe?"

"I believe we cross the mountains," Tifa replied.

"Those mountains?" asked Cloud as he pointed to the ones in the distance.

"That's right," Tifa answered.

"Prove it," Cloud challenged.

"I don't know how, really," Tifa said as she ceased her backstroke and stood on her feet. "I would guess I'd have to cross."

"And if you just find another town on the other side?" Cloud asked.

"It's doesn't mean there's no afterlife," Tifa replied as she reached back and wrung out her long, dark hair. "It just means I looked in the wrong place."

"So who do you think it is?" asked Cloud.

"Who who is?" asked his friend.

"You know…who your dad is…"

Tifa frowned. "I really don't want to talk about this."

"I know," Cloud said. "But if we can prove it, the judge will give everything to your mom. Including you."

Tifa almost felt her ears go up. Then, her heart sank again. "But, remember, she can't afford a lawyer."

"And you said she'll represent herself? Just showing proof to the judge would do the trick."

Tifa suddenly smiled. Her friend was right. "It has to be someone at work," she said. "I don't know where else it would be."

"Does he go anywhere else?" asked Cloud.

"No," Tifa replied. "We have trackers on our family wireless plan. We know where we are at all times."

Cloud paused nervously.

"Don't worry," Tifa continued with a smile. "I left my phone behind."

"So what should we do, then?" asked Cloud, thinking of how to catch Brian.

And at that moment, a drop of rain hit Cloud's forearm.

"Did you feet that?" asked Tifa.

"What?" asked Cloud. "The rain?"

Tifa nodded. "Time to go inside?"

"And what are we immersed in?" asked Cloud sarcastically.

And then, almost as if in response, they saw a flash of lightening.

"Okay," Cloud agreed as he and Tifa jumped out of the pool in unison.

INSIDE…

Cloud and Tifa were seated in front of the TV in Cloud's room. They were still in their swim suits, but were dried off. The rain was coming down outside.

Cloud was showing Tifa one of his video games. "Mousetrap," Cloud said.

"Oh," said Tifa as she stood up and placed her hands on her hips. "Isn't that the 3-D shooter where you can look at naked women in the shower, and shoot them if you want to?"

Cloud nodded, somewhat embarassed.

"Played it," Tifa declared.

"You've played it?!" asked Cloud, quite surprised.

"I played it for five minutes," Tifa replied.

"Why only five minutes?" Cloud asked.

"I got caught playing it," Tifa said. "My dad took it away and now I can't get a new one, since they took it off the market."

"They took it off the market?" asked Cloud. "Why?"

"Too many kids were buying it."

"Oh," said Cloud. "Wanna play? It'll be more than five minutes."

"Sure," Tifa replied. "But I'm kind of hungry."

"We've got some frozen stuff in the kitchen," Cloud informed her.

"Sounds good to me," she said.

They went downstairs into the kitchen, whereupon Cloud promptly opened the freezer and began rummaging.

"So how are we going to do this?" asked Tifa.

"Do what?"

"Prove my dad's a cheat?" Tifa clarified.

"We could follow him to work soon, while I'm still suspended," Cloud replied.

"It's a good idea," said Tifa. "But there's one problem. I'm not suspended. I have to be in school."

"Get suspended," Cloud suggested as he reached towards the back of the freezer.

"Are you serious?" Tifa replied, surprised.

"Of course."

"I've never been suspended," Tifa said. "I've never even had a detention!"

"There's a first time for everything," said Cloud as he pulled out a box. "Like these fishsticks."

Cloud turned around to see Tifa with her back turned to him. He first directed his gaze to her head, as she was fixing her hair. His gazed then shifted to her legs and backside, primarilty the latter. Tifa was a tee shirt and jeans girl, so Cloud never got a good look at her legs, let alone her thighs. He had a strange feeling he wanted to keep looking, and also some sense of...wanting.

And then, the realization came to him. Tifa was a girl. They had been playmates forever, but the fact that he was a boy and she was a girl never seriously crossed his mind until lately. It was an odd thing, because it seemed like they would be nothing but child playmates forever.

_Not forever, _Cloud realized. He was thirteen and she was twelve. They would grow up, but that would be it. She would find a career and possibly move away. Or her family, whatever was left of it, would.

Just then, Tifa turned around. "What's up?" she asked with a smile.

"Um...nothing," Cloud struggled to say.

"Sorry," she said. "I guess me standing still isn't that exicing," she laughed.

"It's not that," Cloud said. "Just a lot on my mind. What we talked about and all."

"I can tap dance," said Tifa. "Wanna see?"

"What brought that up?" asked Cloud.

"Just to get our minds off of it," she replied with a smile.

With that, Tifa began to tapdance, causing both herself and Cloud to giggle in unison.

And then, Cloud's smile faded from his face. He saw a figure appear behind Tifa.

Tifa stopped tap dancing when she noticed his smile was gone. And then she turned around.

"Hi, Miss Strife," Tifa greeted with an embarrassed look on her face.

END FLASHBACK...

"How much trouble did you get into?" Cissnei asked.

"A lot," Tifa replied. "But that's when my feelings for him kind of began."

"Because he was there for you and you felt safe with him?" Cissnei asked.

"That, and one other thing," Tifa answered.

"What was that?"

"It's when we were inside, in our bathing suits, and I noticed he was bare-chested, but my upper half had to be covered. He had trunks down to his knee, and my thighs were bare. In short, I realized that he was a boy and I was a a girl. And that meant that we could be a couple someday." She paused. "And I could feel him checking me out while I was fixing my hair. I kind of liked that."

Cissnei sighed.

"I'm attached to Tobin the same way you're attached to Cloud," she said. "But he'll never see the good stuff as long as he's alive."

"Why do you say that?" Tifa asked.

"For one, I'm two years older than him," Cissnei replied.

"That's it?" Tifa inquired. "When it comes to Cloud, I don't even think about our age. For the record, we're a half a year apart, and he's older, but I never think about it."

"I don't know," Cissnei said. "I just have always seen Tobin as my best friend. Strictly platonically. I love him to the moon and back, but I'm not taking my clothes off."

"There is one other thing," Tifa began.

"What's that?"

"I went bowling with Cloud for my thirteenth birthday," Tifa continued.

"I do things like that with with Tobin," Cissnei said.

Tifa sighed. "I was wearing a crop top."

"And?" asked Cissnei. "A lot of teenage girls wear crop tops."

"But I felt differently when I wore it in front of him," the younger girl added.

"What do you mean?" Cissnei inquired.

"I felt...vulnerable," Tifa replied. "And I kind of wanted him to touch me on the skin that was showing."

"So there is a spark between you two," Cissnei observed. "But not between Tobin and I."

"Try wearing a crop top around him," Tifa suggested. "See what happens."

"I don't own one," Cissnei replied.

"I'll get you one," Tifa offered. "I don't want to see you pass this up."

"My friendship with him is the most precious thing I have," Cissnei said. "I won't ruin it. Sorry, but I don't feel about Tobin the way you obviously feel about Cloud."

Tifa sighed. She really thought we would make a cute couple. She then decided to change the subject.

"I think Karnak is Cloud," Tifa finally said.

Cissnei immediately sat up.

"Karnak is Cloud?!" she exclaimed.

"I think so," Tifa replied. "I have that feeling that I've known him for years. He's also had that spiked hair."

"Have you asked?" Cissnei inquired.

"Whether he's Cloud?" Tifa answered. "No."

"Have you ever asked where he's from?" Cissnei suggested. "Or when his birthday is?"

Tifa shook her head.

"If it matches up, it could prove he is," Cissnei pointed out. "Not to mention, he might remember something from your childhood."

Tifa realized that it was a good idea. And then, she got an idea of her own.

"Tell you what," she began. "I'll ask Karnak all those questions on one condition."

"Go on one date with Tobin," Tifa commanded.

The defeated Cissnei sighed.

June 30, 0006

Tifa was, no doubt, a brave and strong young woman, but it took her nearly two months to gather up the courage to inquire to Karnak about his origins.

This happened on particular evening at the end of June, when Tifa found Karnak casually sitting beside one of the evergreens.

"Hey, Karnak," she greeted.

"Hey yourself," Karnak replied.

She smiled at him for a few moments. She had to think about how best to lead up to it.

"You're the only one here I've never really gotten to know," Tifa said.

"There's not much to learn," Karnak replied.

"Oh, come on!" she insisted. "We all want to get to know you. Can't I just ask a few things?"

Karnak looked at her.

"Go ahead," he permitted. "But I don't see how that might affect anything."

Tifa smiled inside. Now was her chance. She would ask him five questions. If the answers matched how Cloud would answer them, he was Cloud for sure.

"How old are you?" she first asked.

"Nineteen," Karnak replied. "I'll be twenty this summer."

_The same age as Cloud,_ Tifa thought. _On to question two._

"When's your birthday?" she asked. "We can celebrate."

"August nineteen," Karnak replied.

_The same day a Cloud's,_ she realized.

"This is kind of random," Tifa continued, "but, before you came to Xing, what did you do?"

"I was in SOLDIER," he answered. "First Class."

_That's what Cloud had wanted to do._

Her heart was beating faster now. So far, he had gotten all of the questions right. Just two more, and she would know the answer for sure.

"Where are you from," Tifa asked, with her voice slightly shaky.

"Nibelheim," he replied.

Tifa's palms were sweaty.

Four out of five so far. One question away from the truth. But first...

"I'm from Nibelheim," Tifa said. "I'm nineteen myself. How come I've never seen you before."

Karnak was silent.

So was Tifa. She was wondering how he would respond.

"Who said you haven't seen me before?" he asked.

Now Tifa's heart was racing. He was strongly implying that they knew each other. There was only one way to confirm how.

And then, she asked her final question in a trembling voice. It was a question which Cloud was her only non-relative that could answer.

"What's my middle name?"

"Claire," Karnak replied. "After your mother."

Tifa's eyes soon became wet, and one tear escaped.

"Cloud?" she weakly asked. "Is it you?"

Karnak smiled.

"It's me, Tifa," he said. "It's me."

And so it was, at the age of nineteen, that Tifa...never mind. Just wait to see what comes next.


	56. My Cousin, the Matchmaker

Premonitions II: Crisis Core

Chapter 56: My Cousin, the Matchmaker

November 24, 0006

"So there I was," Karnak continued, "standing next to Tifa, when Rufus calls her late mother a slut. So I signaled for Rufus to come over, and before he knew what was happening, I punched him in the stomach, kicked his ass both literally and figuratively, and then I headbutted him in the face and made his nose bleed. I then stomped on both his feet."

Karnak, Tifa, Cissnei, and I were seated on the ground outside by one of the evergreens. We were all still amazed that Karnak seemingly turned out to be Cloud.

"And he cried," Tifa added. "They say nobody's ever seen him bleed or cry, but we sure as hell did."

"Wow!" Cissnei exclaimed.

Even she seemed impressed.

"They can't call me Strife without the strife!" Karnak quipped.

The four of us laughed in unison.

"Cloud Strife, my butt!" shouted a familiar voice.

The four of us stopped laughing, and turned to see Zangan approaching. His age was beginning to show, and he was now using a cane to walk.

"You're not him!" he continued. "You're way too tall. I've watched him grow all his life. He wouldn't grow that tall. Sorry kid, but you're not him."

"Master Zangan," Tifa pleaded. "He can prove in a hundred ways he's Cloud. He knew about all my childhood experiences, and his own."

"He just finished telling us about his fight with Rufus Shinra at the bowling alley," I added.

"He even knew about how his mom gave him swimming lessons in the nude when he was little," Tifa confirmed.

"I'll admit I don't know how he could have picked that information up," Zangan replied, "but I know Cloud Strife when I see him, and it's not you. We'll have enough of this charade."

"But I never got to tell about the time I had to protect President Shinra from an intruder," Karnak protested. "God, he was boring!"

"I SAID ENOUGH!" Zangan commanded. "Anyone who supports this facade will be expelled from training! Do I make myself clear?!"

The four of us nodded in unison.

November 28, 0006

We had to honor Zangan's demand, though there were several private conversations about it behind his back.

But, there were other deals to be honored.

A few days later, Cissnei was walking across the lounge in the cabin, minding her own business, when she suddenly ran into Tifa, whose arms were folded.

"Aren't we forgetting something?" Tifa asked slyly.

"I don't think so," Cissnei replied skeptically.

"I asked Karnak those questions," Tifa clarified. "You are going on a date with Tobin!"

Cissnei was silent, she had indeed forgotten.

"I've never been on a date before," Cissnei said.

"Neither have I," Tifa replied. "But for you, that's about to change."

"Tifa," began Cissnei, "I don't know. He's my best friend, but that's all."

"Let him treat you to Gold Saucer for your birthday," Tifa insisted. "Just see if you feel anything."

"And if I don't?" asked Cissnei.

"Then you'll have a good time with your best friend," Tifa answered. "You win either way."

Cissnei groaned.

_I just know it's going to ruin our friendship,_ she thought.

November 29, 0006

"These jeans feel really tight," Cissnei called from the fitting room.

She and Tifa were at a clothes shop in Xing, where, as promised, the latter would get the former an outfit for her big date.

"Of course they are!" Tifa replied. "You need to show your butt off!"

"Why?" asked Cissnei.

"For Tobin, of course," Tifa answered.

"How's this going to work out?" Cissnei then inquired.

"Oh, don't worry," Tifa assured her. "I've got everything planned. All you have to do is meet him at the ticket booth. He'll buy your ticket, and everything else will come naturally."

"Naturally?" asked Cissnei skeptically.

"If you click, you'll know what I mean," Tifa replied. "Oh, and don't forget. Go on the gondola with him. I heard it's where moments happen."

_Okay,_ Cissnei thought from inside the dressing room. _Here goes nothing._

November 30, 0006

I stood at the Gold Saucer tram station, waiting for Cissnei to arrive. I'll admit I was a little nervous. Yes, she was my best friend, but now it seemed like she may or may not become more. I'll be honest. I was happy with the status quo, though I'll also admit I would not be necessarily opposed to taking it further.

And then, another tram car arrived, and out stepped its occupant.

My heart was immediately racing.

Cissnei was wearing a pair of black boots, a dark blue pair of skinny jeans, and an orange crop top. And for the first time that I noticed, she was wearing a necklace, earrings, and lipstick.

_Is that really Cissnei?_! I thought. _She's beautiful!_

Then I realized that Tifa had given her a makeover. Considering that my cousin isn't that girly, she did an incredible job.

"Tobin!" she greeted as she hugged me.

She then stepped back, allowing me to give her new self another look.

"You look beautiful," I replied.

Cissnei gasped in surprise.

_He called me beautiful,_ she thought. _Nobody ever called me beautiful._

It touched a part of her heart that had never been touched before. It made her all tingly inside.

"Happy birthday," I said as I handed her a small wrapped box.

Cissnei unwrapped the box and opened it. Inside was a diamond bracelet.

She gasped again.

I had wanted to get her something on the border of platonic and romantic.

"Tobin," she said, "thank you!"

She then hugged me again.

Before I left for the tram station, Tifa had advised me to touch the bare skin her crop top revealed; she said it could set sparks off. But I decided to wait. I wanted to make sure she was ready.

MEANWHILE...

Tifa happily trotted down the path that led to the town of Xing. She was in quite a happy mood.

_Tobin and Cissnei are on a date,_ she thought._ I did my part for them. Now all I have to is wait._

_Now comes the harder part: telling Cloud how I feel. I know he's not one to easily listen, so maybe I should find a way to get his attention._

A few minutes later, she found herself back in the clothes shop. It was open late, so she had plenty of time to browse. After a while, she found something that suited her.

"There," she said to herself. "If this doesn't get him to focus on me, I don't know men!"

SOMEWHERE ELSE...

Cissnei and I arrived in Wonder Square after we watched a play in Event Square. She was still glancing at her diamond bracelet, and was still beyond amazed that she had received such a thing.

She was smiling the whole time, too. I couldn't read her mind, but I was kind of hoping she would be feeling the spark. In any event, it was the perfect evening.

And then, I saw its potential ruin.

Cait Sith was standing at his usual spot. He immediately eyed me.

"You!" he called.

"Hello again," I greeted back.

"New girl?" the cat asked. "Cissnei?!"

I was surprised; I turned to my companion.

"You know this thing?" I asked.

Cissnei shook her head.

"Well," Cait Sith said, "I suppose you'd like me to read you're fortune."

"We'll pass," I dismissed.

"Oh, come on!" Cissnei insisted. "It'll be fun!"

I didn't want to argue with the birthday girl, so I paid the cat his fee, and he did his customary dance.

"A strange bargain will seal your fate forever," Cait Sith finally said.

"That's it?" the disappointed Cissnei asked.

"Yeah," I replied. "His fortunes are kind of cryptic."

"I think it's time we hit the arcades," Cissnei decided.

"Agreed," I said.

With that, we began walking up the stairs.

What struck me, though, was that Cait Sith had been right about the previous two girls I was with.

"A strange bargain will seal your fate forever."

_What the hell could that mean?_

MEANWHILE...

Karnak was sitting quietly under one of the evergreens. What Zangan said was correct, but devastating.

He had tried to pick up someone's life, instead of facing the reality that he was grown in a lab. He had wanted to forget his origins. All he wanted was normalcy.

And then, someone decided to rub salt into the wound.

"You're not Cloud," called a voice in a tree.

Karnak looked up.

At first, he didn't see anything.

Then, he saw a wing spread. A single, black wing.

"Genesis?" Karnak greeted.

"My point, exactly," Genesis replied. "Cloud Strife never met me in his life. It's Sephiroth's memories in you that identify me."

"What do you want?" Karnak demanded.

"For you to accept the truth, of course," Genesis answered.

"I already know I'm not the real Cloud," Karnak admitted. "But the real Cloud is missing. I'm the closest thing Tifa has to him."

"You're not Cloud," Genesis continued, "and you're not human. Have you forgotten?"

Karnak stared blankly.

"Of course," Genesis realized. "You were created before I met Sephiroth in Nibelheim. But do you know who your mother is?"

"Jenova," Karnak replied.

Genesis grinned.

"I think it's time we had a talk about one of your donor's origins," he suggested.

SOMEWHERE ELSE...

"What's this?" asked Cissnei as we entered Round Square.

"It's the gondola," I replied.

"Want to ride it?" she suggested, not forgetting what Tifa had told her earlier.

_This is really for couples,_ I thought. _But what the birthday girl wants, the birthday girl gets._

"Let's!" I thus replied enthusiastically.

We then boarded the gondola, and it started moving.

Cissnei soon gasped as she looked out the window.

"My goodness!"

Outside, she could see the roller coaster speeding by, and hear all of the riders screaming.

We had actually gone on it after leaving Wonder Square.

"Were we really going that fast?" she asked me.

"We certainly were," I replied.

Suddenly, a herd of chocobos ran by the window.

Cissnei looked out to see that it was, in fact, a racetrack.

"They race chocobos here?" Cissnei asked.

"You bet," I replied. "Want to see one after we get off?"

"Absolutely!" Cissnei replied.

And then, fireworks began to burst all around us.

"It's so beautiful!" Cissnei exclaimed. "I'm so glad we came here!"

And then, she became quiet. She didn't seem troubled, but she was quiet nonetheless.

_I'm having such a good time,_ Cissnei thought. _But I shouldn't be surprised. Because...whenever I'm with Tobin...I'm always having a good time._

_I met Tobin when he was fifteen. That was five years ago. He's really grown up since then._

_He's always listening to me. Now matter how annoying I get, he's always there to listen. You don't come across people like that too often._

_And, despite the fact that he's a lot younger than me, I feel so safe with him. That really means something._

_Oh, I do love him. But do I love him the way Tifa loves Cloud, or the way she loves Tobin? I really can't tell._

_I wasn't raised to have these kind of emotions._

_I've never loved anyone before._

_What am I supposed to do here?_

LATER...

Cissnei and I walked into the cabin. I walked her as far as her bedroom door. There, she turned to face me.

"I really had fun tonight," she said with a smile.

At that point, she was not sure of what to do.

_Do I kiss him?_ she thought to herself. _Or is that moving too forward? This is hard!_

She smiled at me for a few moments more. Then she wrapped her arms around me and hugged me.

I hugged back. And then, I did it. I placed my hand on the exposed skin of her lower back. Moments later, I felt goosebumps rise. It seemed like I set at least a little spark off.

She then stepped back.

"So I'll see you tomorrow at training?" she asked.

"You bet," I replied.

Cissnei smiled and retired to her room.

I had mixed feelings about how it went. I was well aware that Cissnei had never been on a date before, and I seemed like she wasn't quite sure how it was supposed to go.

I figured we'd see what happens next time.

As I passed Tifa's room on the way to my own, I saw the door wide open.

"Tobin?" she called. "Can you please come in and shut the door?"

I went in and shut the door. I could see Tifa poking her head out from behind the dresser.

"How did it go?" she asked.

"Not bad," I replied.

"Tell me all about it!" she pleaded. "Did you kiss?"

I shook my head.

"That's okay," Tifa assured me. "It's only the first date. Did you touch her skin?"

"She got goosebumps," I replied.

"That means there is a spark!" she announced happily. "So when's date number two?"

"We haven't set it," I replied.

"Do it soon," Tifa commanded. "Meanwhile, I need to set mine with Cloud."

"Have you asked him out yet?" I asked.

Tifa shook her head.

"I need to get his attention first," she replied, "so I changed my wardrobe."

She then stepped out from behind the dresser and approached me until she was a yard away.

I couldn't believe my eyes.

On the bottom, she was wearing a black mini-skirt and a pair of red sneakers. On the top, she was wearing a white crop-tank with suspenders over it.

"Well," she began, "what do you think?"

"If you weren't my cousin," I said, "you'd look hot."

Tifa smiled and pecked me on the cheek.

THE STUFF THAT MIGHT HAVE GONE UNNOTICED...

So, yeah, the remake is out. The continuity here comes from the original game. There are currently no plans for any connection to the remake, though we can't help but wonder if someone or something will eventually alter history or create a new dimension through time travel...


	57. Another Fire

Premonitions II: Crisis Core

Chapter 57: Another Fire

December 2, 0006

And then, in the middle of the night, without any sense of warning, it happened.

Tifa woke up to the smell of smoke, which she still easily recalled from the burning of Nibelheim. As she slowly opened her eyes, she could see smoke filling the air, and fire on the walls.

Knowing that she would have only moments before the smoke caused her to pass out, effectively dooming her, she quickly took a rag and tied it around her nose and mouth. She then jumped out of her bed, realizing the door, which was close, was her only means of escape. How a fire could have gotten into her room with the door closed seemed impossible. Unless...

The hallway was full of fire and smoke. At one end of it was a door that led outside. Tifa thus ran quickly down the hallway and out the door. The clean breeze immediately greeted her. She was safe now, and quickly undid the rag.

And then, she stopped what she was doing. She scanned the area to see that she was all alone.

_Everyone's still inside!_ she immediately realized in horror.

Quickly, she tightened her rag again.

_It's time to test those carrying skills Zangan taught me,_ she thought.

Tifa quickly ran back into the burning cabin and passed her room. As the intense heat greeted her body again, she knew her rescue mission had begun.

The first door she had come to after her own was Cissnei's. She knew she would be sleeping like a cartoon animal, but she didn't care; it was a life or death situation. So she quickly opened the door.

"Cissnei!" called Tifa frantically.

No answer. The walls of the room were already ablaze.

"Cissnei!" she called again.

Tifa then ran over to the bed to check.

The bed was empty; Cissnei wasn't there.

_Where is she?_

Realizing there was nothing more she could do, Tifa ran to the bedroom next door.

Karnak's room.

Here, the door was wide open. The walls and curtains in the room were already on fire.

"Karnak!" she called.

There was no response.

She then decided to use another name.

"Cloud!"

Still no response.

Tifa quickly ran over to the bed and checked it. Karnak was gone, too.

_Where is everybody?_ she thought.

Then she came to my room, and opened the door. My room was full of smoke and fire, just like the other ones.

Tifa then took a look at the bed.

There was me. I was unconscious from smoke inhalation.

"Tobin?" she called in a nervous voice as she shook me.

I didn't wake up.

"Tobin?!" she pleaded as she shook me even harder than before.

I still didn't respond.

She then felt for a pulse, and sighed in relief as she felt one.

And then, she realized what had to be done.

_Okay,_ thought Tifa,_ here goes._

She stripped me of my covers, wrapped her arms around my legs, and lifted me up over her shoulder.

As she had been trained, she didn't find it difficult to carry me through the burning cabin. My room was closer to the main entrance, so Tifa carried me into the burning parlor.

There was Cissnei, fully clothed and on the couch, passed out. She had a black eye; there had seemingly been a struggle of some sort.

Tifa, despite her strength and training, could not possibly carry two people at once, so she rushed me outside and lay me down a safe distance from the cabin.

Tifa then ran back into the burning cabin and scooped up the unconscious Cissnei, carrying her out to safety in the same manner. After laying her down at a safe distance, she checked Cissnei for a pulse, and felt one.

Meanwhile, I had regained consciousness.

"Is she okay?" I uttered.

Tifa jumped in surprise, crawled over, and hugged me.

"Yeah, she's okay," she replied. "What happened?"

"I don't know," I replied. "I just went to bed and woke up out here."

I then spotted Cissnei's black eye.

"What happened?" I asked. "Did someone attack her?"

"I don't know," Tifa replied as she scanned the fallen Cissnei. "I just found her on the couch like that and-"

And then, she realized something.

"Shit!" she muttered. "Zangan!"

Tifa sprang to her feet, turned around, and prepared to return to the burning cabin.

And then, the house exploded loudly.

Tifa immediately broke down and began to sob. She knew there was nothing more she could do.

I ran over to her and tried to comfort her, though I knew it was of little use. Zangan was still inside, and nobody could help him now.

"Who could've done such a foolish thing?!" I demanded rhetorically.

Almost as if in response, Cissnei suddenly regained consciousness, sat up, and began to cough.

"Karnak!" she uttered through her coughs. "It was Karnak!"

And then, Tifa became significantly more quiet. I could feel her body almost begin to tremble, as if she was completely broken inside.

"Why, Cloud," she sobbed. "Why?"

December 8, 0006

Tifa stood beside Zangan's grave under one of the evergreens, wearing her black mini-skirt and white crop-tank, one of the few things to survive the fire. She continued to sob, with both myself and Cissnei on each of her sides for support.

Cissnei had something on her mind since the fire. It was something that Karnak had said that left her skeptical of his supposed identity. She didn't want to say it at first, because she was afraid of upsetting Tifa. But now, it might give her a peace of mind.

"Tifa," Cissnei began, "I'm not one hundred percent sure Karnak and Cloud are one and the same."

Tifa gave Cissnei a skeptical look.

"When Karnak mentioned he had to protect President Shinra during an invasion," Cissnei continued, "well, I was there when that happened. Cloud never protected the president in his life. Sephiroth protected him."

"Then how could Karnak remember Cloud's most intimate memories?" Tifa asked.

"That's a good question," Cissnei replied. "But I'm sure there's an explanation."

"Is there any way we could find out?" I asked.

"If I had access to the Shinra files," Cissnei informed us, "I could look the whole thing up. But I've been locked out since they furloughed me."

"So we're at a dead end," Tifa said sadly.

"Unless we find the real Cloud," Cissnei suggested. "But to do that, I need access to the files."

LATER...

Realizing that there was no sense in wallowing in our own grief, the three of us walked into the town of Xing and into a tea house. We needed something solemn and relaxing as we decided on what to do next.

"To Zangan," I said as we raised our tea glasses.

"So what do we do now?" asked Cissnei.

"That's one hell of a question," I replied. "I know I'm out of a job. Training never finished."

"Wait!" Tifa exclaimed. "Shinra cut you loose?"

I nodded.

Yeah, that was true. With Zangan gone, the Shinra pulled the plug on my internship. It was five years down the toilet. Which meant that I couldn't go back to Midgar, of course.

"They are a terrible company," Cissnei admitted.

"Listen," Tifa began. "I've been looking up this one group called AVALANCHE."

"Are they a ski club?" I asked.

"No," Tifa replied as she shook her head. "They're an anti-Shinra group."

"Be careful," warned Cissnei as she checked her phone. "I heard they're a terrorist group and..."

She suddenly paused. It was as if she had been struck by something.

"You okay?" Tifa asked.

"This is weird," Cissnei said.

"What?" I asked.

"I've suddenly got my access back," she replied. "To the Shinra files."

"How come all of a sudden?" I asked.

"I don't know," Cissnei answered. "But let me type in Karnak."

She did what she said what she would do.

It was a relief that we would now learn the truth, but something seemed off.

"Well, there we have it," Cissnei announced.

"What?" Tifa asked, somewhat anxiously. "Is Karnak Cloud?"

"Yes, and no," Cissnei replied. "Yes, in the sense that he has his DNA. But you did not grow up with him."

"So you're saying he's a clone of Cloud?" I asked her.

"Not exactly," Cissnei replied. "Hojo took both Cloud's DNA and Sephiroth's and meshed them together. Apparently Karnak has both of their memories."

"So that's it," Tifa sighed.

I couldn't tell whether she was disappointed or relieved.

"According to the files," Cissnei continued, "the real Cloud was last seen well after Karnak was created. The boy you grew up with definitely didn't burn down the cabin." She paused. "When Karnak was created, he became destructive and subsequently escaped the Shinra Building. And the Shinra have been looking for him ever since."

Tifa put her face in her hands.

"Thank God," she said. "I feel stupid for falling for Karnak's facade, but at least we know the real Cloud is out there somewhere."

"Listen," Cissnei announced, "I never did thank you for saving my life. So I'm going to help you find the real Cloud."

"Cissnei," Tifa replied, "thank you."

"I just can't understand for the life of me why I've gotten my access back," Cissnei admitted.

"I'll tell you why," called a familiar voice. The three of us turned to see none other than Rufus Shinra standing at the enterance. "It's my pleasure, Cissnei, to inform you that you've been reactivated."

He then turned to Tifa.

"You look familiar," he pointed out. "Don't I know you from somewhere?"

"Charlie's Bowling Basement," Tifa replied. "A painful encounter."

Rufus sighed.

"That's right," he recalled. "Your spikey-haired friend sure got abusive."

Tifa wanted to say something, but she knew an argument with Rufus would not likely end well.

"You need to stay away from the likes of them, Cissnei," Rufus advised. "I have the strangest feeling that this girl Tifa's going to be the death of me."

He then turned, and began to walk out of the tea house.

"See you in Midgar," he said to Cissnei on his way out.

December 10, 0006

Cissnei was given two days to collect her belongings and return to Midgar. Due to the fire, that was practically nothing.

So I'll skip to where we said our goodbyes in the Xing town square. Tifa and I were standing beside each other, facing the departing Cissnei. Behind her was a helicopter with Tseng, Reno, and Rude inside, waiting to take her away for good.

"So this is it," Cissnei began sadly. There really was no other way to word it.

"I'll miss you," Tifa said sadly as she hugged Cissnei good-bye.

"Tifa," began Cissnei, "I really hate my job because of this."

She then turned toward me.

She had the saddest look on her face that I had ever seen. After five years under the same roof, this was a change that neither of us wanted.

She was my best friend, and was going away. There was no way under the sun it would be made easier.

I put my hands on her shoulders, and looked my best friend in the eyes one more time.

"I'll never forget you," I said as a tear escaped my eye.

Cissnei gently put her hand on one of mine.

"If I could cry," she replied, "You bet I would right now."

Cissnei then wrapped her arms around me and hugged me tightly.

"I'll never forget you either," she said in a broken voice. It was the closest I would ever get to see her crying.

She then boarded the chopper, and it took off quickly.

As soon as the helicopter was out of sight, I fell to my knees and began to sob. I had lost my best friend again.

Tifa immediately knelt down and hugged me.

She was all I had left. But it was a relief to know that I still had her.

THAT NIGHT...

We couldn't stay in Xing, of course. The cabin was destroyed, except for a few pieces of clothes and other stuff. We instead hired a car and began to drive out of the the area, not quite sure where we would be ending up.

Gradually, the mountains began to subside, and soon we got to a bridge. It was a long one, and I knew it lead to the mainland of the Western Continent. Amusingly, there was a museum dedicated to the bridge on the side of it.

Once on the mainland, it was all plains, with little to see except for a few farms and ranches. It was quite peaceful.

Eventually, as the sun began to set, we realized we needed a place to stop. The solution presented itself when Tifa, who was driving, suddenly began to crack up.

"What's so funny?" I asked.

"There's a big penis in the distance!" she laughed.

Despite being a nineteen-year-old virgin, Tifa did have a dirty mind, in case I never mentioned that earlier.

I knew right away what it really was; it was Shinra Number Twenty-Six, the rocket that almost went into space, but didn't.

As we got into Rocket Town, I could see Cid coming out of the rocket, dusting his hands off.

Not in the mood for him, I quickly walked into the inn without looking around.

LATER THAT NIGHT...

I woke up in my room in the middle of the night to see a familiar sight out the window. Tifa was standing in the deserted lawn, barefoot in her pajamas, gazing at the sky again.

I felt sorry for her. You would think by now that she'd know that Aunt Claire wasn't going to respond, but Tifa was quite possibly the most stubborn person I knew.

As I quietly slid the window open, I could hear my cousin speaking quietly to the stars, hoping, as always, that her mother was listening.

"Mom?" she began. "It's me again. I know I'm kind of being a bug by now, but...I just need to ask you one question." She paused, folded her hands together, and looked toward the stars. "Where's the real Cloud?"

Sure enough, there was no response.

The stars simply twinkled down on the pajama-clad nineteen-year-old.


	58. Sleepers Awake

Premonitions II: Crisis Core

Chapter 58: Sleepers Awake

Now if you, like Tifa, would like to hear about the real Cloud, pay close attention here.

Tifa and I spent about a week in Rocket Town. There wasn't a lot to do there, but there was an arcade that we went to a lot. I've already mentioned that Tifa is probably the least girliest heterosexual woman that I know, and she's the only girl I know to own a gaming system. Well, she can kick anyone's ass at the arcade, and she took good advantage of that with me.

One time, we went into the hotel pool, and Tifa had done the damndest thing: she had "Lockheart" printed on the back of her bikini bottoms. Sure enough, that got everyone's attention. One person even made an attempt to grope her; he left with his nose bleeding. Don't get me wrong; Tifa is a wonderful, caring person. But if you try and touch her inappropriately, you'll buy more than you bargained for.

Another time, we went to see a horror flick. Tifa kept scaring me whenever something scary was about to happen; a notorious habit of hers.

For a pair of cousins, Tifa and I were unusually close. Her companionship eased my lonliness, and I'm sure I did the same for her. But I did have it in the back of my head: would Tifa eventually pass out of my life, just like Cissnei and the others? Neither of my parents talked to any of their cousins. It was something I tried not to think about.

One day, after seeing Tifa trying to talk to Aunt Claire yet again, I decided to officially start looking for Cloud. Despite the fact I still missed my own best friend terribly, I, too, was becoming more and more curious of Mr. Strife's fate. I also couldn't bear to see my cousin suffer like that.

I thus checked around everyone in Rocket Town to see if anyone knew or at least had gotten wind of anyone named Cloud. And I do mean with everyone.

"Is she a porn star?" Cid Highwind asked me when I inquired with him.

I shook my head, thinking that Cid wasn't going to be be any great help.

"No," I replied. "He's a Shinra trooper. My cousin's looking for him. He hasn't been seen or heard from in years. He was last seen in Nibelheim."

"Well, then," Cid suggested, "why don't you go on down there and check?"

I groaned.

"Have you been living under a rock?" I inquired. "Nibelheim burned down four years ago."

Cid shook his head.

"No, it's there," he dismissed. "People come from there every now and then."

"From Nibelheim?" I asked.

"From Nibelheim," Cid confirmed.

I was stunned. I saw Nibelheim burn to the ground four years ago with my own eyes. Something really didn't make sense.

"And this is the same Nibelheim on the other side of Mount Nibel?" I inquired.

"You bet your ass," Cid replied. "Can't miss it."

Right then and there I knew there was a trip I had to make.

December 18, 0006

So that evening, without telling Tifa, I made my way south of Rocket Town. I knew she would kick my ass pretty badly if she knew I was leaving her behind, but God only knows what would happen if she saw Nibelheim again, or worse, the real Cloud's remains. I had to confirm he was still alive before I told her.

The terrain became more rugged as I continued on my way, and soon I found myself along the paths around Mount Nibel. I passed the reactor. I passed the small lake we swam in. I still remembered the way. And, before too long, I found myself on the other side of Mount Nibel, stepping into Nibelheim.

The whole town was still there. I couldn't believe it! The whole town was still there!

I scanned the area around me. The well was there. So was Uncle Brian's house. Even the broken down truck at the south end of town was still there. It was like the fire never happened.

I did a dumb thing and went to Uncle Brian's house. Some old lady lived there now. I know that sounded stupid, but if the town was still there, I had to be certain that I somehow didn't imagine the whole damn thing.

Then I realized that there was indeed one person who might know the whole story, if he was still there. I thus directed my attention toward the Shrina Mansion.

MINUTES LATER...

It smelled like death in that basement. The walls were not flammable, suggesting that this was the same basement I had entered previously. Feeling hopeful that I might get some answers, I stepped into the room full of coffins and body bags.

Sure enough, the caped corpse arose from his casket.

"You again?" greeted Vincent.

"Me again," I greeted back.

"It's been awhile," Vincent said. "I know a lot of strange things happened upstairs."

"That's an understatement," I said. "The whole town was burned down, but now it's back."

"That's the Shinra for you," Vincent said. "They can rebuild almost as quickly as they can destroy. Fortunately, there caves are fireproof."

"So this place wasn't destroyed by the fire?" I inquired.

"Certainly not," Vincent replied. "This place continued its status as a laboratory long after Sephiroth snapped. They continued to do experiments down here. Mainly on those boys with spikey hair."

It struck me right then and there: Cloud and Zack has been there the whole time! I figured this place had been destroyed, so I had never considered it.

"Where are they?" I asked eagerly.

"Gone," Vincent replied. "They escaped."

My heart sank. That was certainly not what I wanted to tell Tifa.

"Do you have any idea where they could be?" I asked.

"I'll tell you what I know," Vincent offered.

FLASHBACK...

Zack gazed through the tube he was imprisoned in. At first, all he could see was pitch black in front of him. He had no idea where he was, or even if he was anywhere at all.

Angeal was standing there, giving him a disapproving look.

Zack couldn't tell whether he was hallucinating or that was really him.

"You call yourself a SOLDIER?" Angeal snapped. "You tarnish the SOLDIER name!"

And then, the lab around him materialized. Zack realized that he was in a glass tube, in the basement of the Shinra Mansion, unable to move from his position. In frustration, he began to pound on the glass.

Angeal, unwilling to aid him, simply flew away.

"Angeal!" cried Zack. "Wait!"

Zack began to feel himself losing consciousness. Before he passed out, he had one thing on his mind.

_Those wings,_ he thought. _I want them too._

LATER...

When Zack awoke again, he found himself face-down on the floor surrounded by broken glass.

_Did I break the glass somehow?_ he thought. _I did pound on it kind of hard._

He quickly heard footsteps, and raised his head to see a young intern entering the room.

As the intern began to examine him, Zack realized that he would not let him simply walk out the door. Experiments had been done on them. They were, by now, essentially Shinra property.

Zack then sprang to his feet as quickly as possible and punched the intern with all of his might, sending the poor youth to the floor.

"Sorry," Zack said, "but I can't stay here."

He then walked over to the tank next to the one that he had been in. Cloud was in there, seemingly unconscious.

Zack took a few moments to examine the tank before finding a button. After he pressed it, the fluid Cloud was immersed in drained. Zack then opened the tank, and Cloud immediately began to fall.

"Cloud," said Zack as he caught him.

Cloud was conscious, Zack realized, but in some sort of vegetative state. Zack immediately concluded that Cloud was suffering from mako poisoning.

Zack briefly laid Cloud next to the exam table in the middle of the lab and studied the documents. After a few minutes, he turned his attention back to Cloud.

"All right, let's go!" he announced.

Zack lifted Cloud to his feet and walked him out of the lab. He walked him through the caves and up that long spiral staircase. Then he walked him down the main staircase and out of the mansion.

He carried Cloud all the way to the town square, when something crossed his mind. He gently set Cloud down, and eerily scanned his surroundings. This didn't seem right.

"What's going on?" Zack muttered aloud. "I saw the town reduced to ashes, but it's back to the way it was before."

And then, he was interrupted.

"It's a breakout!" shouted a voice.

"The professor's test samples are escaping!" shouted another.

Zack turned to see four Shinra troopers closing in on them.

"It'll take more than your average grunt to take me down!" Zack confidentially announced as he drew his buster sword.

And who the fuck decided to put him in that tube with his buster sword?!

And then, more soldiers came from the alleys and northern exit.

Zack saw one of them crouch near his companion.

"Cloud!?" he exclaimed.

The trooper began to drag Cloud away.

"This is bad!" Zack exclaimed. "I'd better take care of them quickly. I'm not gonna get caught again!"

Zack rushed to the trooper dragging Cloud and killed him.

From then on, it was the typical mayhem associated with Mr. Fair. After he killed several more troops, the remaining ones ran off.

Zack knew they were going for reinforcements, and cursed himself for not being able to stop them. He fell to one knee.

"Whoa," he sighed. "What's wrong with me today? This can't be right. How could I be having trouble against these guys?"

Unaware of how long he had been sealed, Zack walked over to Cloud and knelt down.

Cloud didn't respond. The experiments done on him had seemingly left him non-verbal.

Defeated, Zack stood up.

"I'll have to return to the mansion to regroup," Zack said aloud as he stood up. He then lifted Cloud to his feet once more, walking him back to the Shinra Mansion.

"It's daytime, and we're still a little weak," Zack said as he approached the front door. "Maybe we should rest until dark?"

Cloud, of course, didn't respond.

Zack took Cloud to a bedroom, and set him on a bed.

Cloud let out a soft groan.

"Cloud," sighed Zack as he checked his face.

Cloud didn't even seem to notice that Zack was there.

"Could this be mako addiction?" Zack asked.

Cloud didn't respond.

With nothing left to do, Zack lay down on the floor, wondering if Cloud would ever recover.

"Angeal," he sighed, "am I just not capable of saving anyone?"

He then sat up, and took another look at Cloud. He noticed that he was still in his trooper uniform, and would naturally stick out like a sore thumb, to say nothing of the mako contamination.

"All right!" Zack announced. "I'm gonna go find some clothes for you. Those mako-soaked clothes will definitely not help you on your road to recovery. Wait for me here. I'll be right back."

Zack then briefly left the room. When he returned, he had what looked like a SOLDIER outfit.

"Hey," he said, "I found something for you. Change into this. It may not smell very good, but we can't be too picky right now."

Zack changed Cloud into the SOLDIER outfit before allowing him to recline in the bed again.

"Looks pretty good on you," he observed.

And then, Zack randomly checked his pocket. Inside, he found a note that had been written to him. After examining it, he had a sincere look on his face.

"Hey, Cloud," he said. "I...I have to go to Midgar. You wanna come with me?"

...END FLASHBACK

"Why he had to go to Midgar is beyond me," Vincent concluded, "but if he's on the run from the Shinra, that would be the last place he'd want to go."

"Did he make it?" I asked.

"He couldn't have gotten there by now," Vincent replied.

"Any idea where they could be?" I asked.

"Mr. Tobin," Vincent replied as he seemed to make a face. "I've told you so much today. You've given me virtually nothing in return."

"All you gave me was a starting point," I retorted. "Zack and Cloud could be anywhere on the Western Continent."

"I've...got more sleep waiting," Vincent then announced. "Come back when you know something useful."

"I need to find Cloud," I insisted.

"Humph," Vincent muttered as he lay back down and closed his casket.

I wasn't angry this time; I knew that Cloud was at least alive.

As I was climbing up the spiral staircase, it struck me:

_What if they're still here?_


	59. The Chase is On!

Premonitions II: Crisis Core

Chapter 59: The Chase Is On!

Tifa stood on the side of the road outside of Rocket Town. Runners were shooting by her; a half-marathon was being held to raise money for the Space Program. It seemed like a strange place for her to stand, but, when she thought about it, it made sense. A cafe would actually be less private; it would be quiet, and others would be in place, potentially eavesdropping.

And then, as the runners continued to pass her, she was approached by the man she had initiated contact with several days earlier. He was much taller than her and-get a load of this-had a big-assed machine gun where his arm should be.

"Barret Wallace?" she greeted.

"Well," he replied, "who's askin'?"

"Tifa Lockheart," she replied. "I emailed you about joining AVALANCHE."

Barret scanned Tifa, who was dressed in her usual crop-tank and mini-skirt. But he wasn't checking her out; he was instead somewhat skeptical.

"So," he continued as the runners continued to dash by, "we need to see if you have what it takes."

"What it takes?" Tifa asked as one runner ran by her and gave her bunny ears.

"Your qualifications," Barret clarified.

"I've been trained in martial arts for three years," just as she ducked from a runner who had his hand out. "Whoa!" she exclaimed. "Not expecting that!"

Barrett shook his head in disapproval.

And then, Tifa felt an extremely hard, painful smack on her butt; one of the runners thought it would be funny to spank her.

Tifa immediately spotted the offending runner, and began to glare at him.

"Oh, hell no!" she shouted as she charged him.

A moment later, the runner was on the ground, and Tifa was repeatedly punching his face.

"You think you can violate me?" she exclaimed as she continued to pound his face, one punch per word she said. "Objectify me? Well, you've picked the wrong girl to fuck with!"

After she threw her last punch, the runner sighed and passed out.

"Goddam, Miss Lockheart!" Barret said in approval.

"Call me Tifa," she insisted.

MEANWHILE...

I got my answer as I reached the foyer steps. Zack was leading Cloud out of the Shinra Mansion.

They were still here!

I quickly cloaked myself and began to follow them. After having lost the internship, I was almost wondering whether Mrs. Fair would hire me to take pictures of her son on the job again.

As I stepped outside the mansion, I saw that it was nighttime. Zack was leading Cloud south, through the town again. I kept my distance, suspicious that they weren't out of danger yet.

My suspicions proved correct; three Shinra troopers rushed toward the two fugitives.

Zack quickly set Cloud against one of the houses and rushed to confront the troops.

"This is pretty rough," he said as he drew his buster sword.

As usual, he killed them with the greatest of ease.

"Okay!" he announced as he turned toward Cloud. "We're getting out of here!"

With that, he went back to Cloud, and lifted him to his feet.

"Stay with me!" he commanded.

Zack managed to get them out of Nibelheim without incident. After that, he led them on the road, keeping his eyes peeled for any Shinra troopers who might be pursuing them. So far, there were none.

Progress was slow. Cloud wasn't heavy, but he wasn't light, either. There were endless plains as far as the eyes could see. There were no towns nearby or even any roadside inns.

"Damn it!" groaned Zack. "There's no end to this!"

Eventually, the fugitives found themselves in a small wooded area. There was still no inn, but it would at least hide them from the Shinra during daylight. Relieved, Zack rested Cloud against a couple of rocks.

"Wait here a minute," Zack commanded. "I'm gonna take a look around."

Zack explored the small forest from one end to the other. It seemed void of any Shinra troops, thought he wouldn't dare start a fire. It would be a safe place to hide out during the daytime; they could resume their escape the next evening.

And then, Zack saw a shadow.

He knew it couldn't be good. It was likely a Shinra trooper, a Turk, or something worse. Sensing the danger, he quickly drew his buster sword, and spun around.

"Aaaaahh!" exclaimed a teenage girl as she jumped back in fright.

This girl had netting covering her right arm and left leg. She wore a green crop-tank turtleneck sweater and a pair of very short khaki shorts that were curiously unbuttoned. And I thought my cousin wore too little.

Zack sighed and lowered his sword.

"Sorry," he apologized.

"Well," the teen admitted, "I'll be honest. I was going to rob you."

"Thanks," Zack said sarcastically.

And then, the girl took a long look at him, and gasped.

"Zack?!" she exclaimed. "Zack Fair?!"

"That depends on who's asking," he said.

"It's me!" she announced. "Yuffie!"

"Yuffie?!" Zack asked, confused.

_That girl who was always stealing?_ he thought.

"Kisaragi," she clarified.

_That can't be her!_

"You're her older sister?" Zack asked.

"No, I'm her!" Yuffie insisted.

"Yuffie Kisaragi's eleven years old," Zack dismissed.

"Is this a joke?" she giggled.

Zack shook his head.

"I'm fifteen!" Yuffie insisted. "I've got my boobs, got my butt..."

Just then, three more shadows began to appear.

"Uh-oh," Yuffie groaned.

Zack then realized there really was a pending danger. He turned again to see three Genesis copies approaching them.

"Shit!" he exclaimed. "It's a war on two fronts!"

He quickly killed each copy in turn.l in front of the horrified teen.

"This is what you do?!" Yuffie exclaimed as she gazed in shock at the three bodies.

"This is what I do," Zack replied as he put his buster sword away.

Yuffie then noticed one of them had nails, a bracelet, and the letters "MEC" tattooed on the wrist.

"That's a girl!" she exclaimed. "Oh my God, that's a girl."

"I know," Zack replied as he scanned the body. "This was Mary Ellen."

"Someone you knew?" Yuffie asked.

Zack nodded.

"I think I need to get home," Yuffie then announced as she began to run off. "Maybe you can date me someday?"

"I have a girlfriend already!" he called as Yuffie disappeared into the woods.

"Things change!" she called back.

Zack sighed.

_She can't be Yuffie,_ he thought. _Yuffie's eleven. That girl was fifteen or more. No makeup or even any surgeries and make her look older. This has to be a prank of some kind._

Poor naïve Mr. Fair.

He was yet to know the truth.


	60. The Chase Continues

Premonitions II: Crisis Core

Chapter 60: The Chase Continues

Zack took a look outside the opposite end of the forest to see whether any more Shinra troops or Genesis copies were in the area. When he took a look, he saw a beam of light. Hopeful that it might be an inn he and Cloud could safely hide in, he followed the beam until he reach its origin.

It was a lighthouse.

Zack, disappointed, found himself on a small beach. Silently, he continued to watch the lighthouse's beam against the night sky.

"Where do I go from here?" he asked himself aloud. "Can't do much when I got Cloud to worry about. Angeal...what should I do?"

He was starting to remind me of Tifa, talking to the dead like that. Sure enough, he didn't get a response.

He then heard the sound of footsteps sneaking up behind him. But he didn't flinch. He didn't seem worried. He knew exactly who it was.

"Hey, Cissnei," he greeted, without looking back. "Been a while."

I almost didn't recognize her in her Turk suit, but I was emotionally overwhelmed seeing my friend again. I badly wanted to de-cloak and hug her, but I was well aware of the bizarre situation that could potentially arise.

"Zack," she began. "The fugitive sample...is it you?"

"It would appear so," Zack replied.

Cissnei has an empty look on her face. If it couldn't be any more obvious, she was absolutely not happy to be back on the job.

"What did they do to you in that place?" she asked.

"Well...this and that," he replied as he finally turned. "So, Cissnei, you're here to take us back, right?"

Cissnei lowered her head and tried to look away. If she could cry, she probably would've here.

"Please, just walk away!" Zack pleaded. "I thought we could outrun the army, but the Turks are a different story."

"Zack, I'm sorry," she apologized as she produced a large shuriken. "This is my job! If you want to escape, you have to..."

She then threw her shuriken.

Zack deflected it with his sword with the greatest of ease, causing it to crash into the sand.

Cissnei cautiously began to approach Zack.

"Step back," he ordered as he pointed his sword at her. "Next time...I'll really have to..."

Cissnei's eyes widened. I almost think she was frightened.

I was frightened myself. For a moment, it looked like he might actually do her in.

But, instead, Zack turned and ran off.

Cissnei stood alone on the beach, hanging her head in sorrow.

"So this is the life I was called back to," she said to herself. "With a cruel job and an apartment by myself."

She then looked up, and stared into the ocean.

"I don't like this new life," she continued sadly. "And I don't like life without you, Tobin."

I waved my hand in front of my face to check if I was still cloaked, and I was.

"Tobin," she continued, "if only you could hear me."

And, ironically, I could.

"Please come back," she said as she lowered her head again.

_Hang in there, Cissnei,_ I thought.

Right now, two lives were in jeopardy.

I caught up to Zack and Cloud half a mile away. Cloud hadn't changed; he was still unconscious, propped against a rock.

"The Turks are here, too," Zack informed him. "It's too dangerous to move now. We'll rest here until morning. Then we'll leave at dawn." He then briefly scanned his surroundings. "Eh, we'll be all right."

And as he uttered those words, he turned and spotted Cissnei coincidentally approaching him.

"Cissnei," Zack uttered as he slowly drew his buster sword and aimed it at her.

_Zack_, I thought, _please don't._

"Wait!" she pleaded as she eyed Cloud. "He...he's the other sample they collected at Nibelheim!"

Zack quickly stepped back to defend Cloud, keeping his sword aimed at Cissnei.

"Why did you come here!?" he demanded. "I told you to go away!"

"He doesn't look well, Zack," she cited. "Is he all right?"

"Mako addiction," Zack replied. "Severe case."

"The experiments, isn't it?" Cissnei asked.

"Yeah," Zack replied.

Cissnei sighed for a moment. Then she pulled out her cell phone and called somebody.

"Hey!" Zack protested.

Cissnei quickly raised her palm, as if to tell him to wait.

_Come on, Cissnei,_ I thought. _Do the right thing._

I heard the dial tone. Then, I heard the answer.

"Hello?" greeted Tseng over the phone.

"Tseng, I've lost the target," Cissnei announced.

Zack gasped and so did I.

_Thank God._

"Keep pursuit," Tseng commanded before hanging up.

Zack cautiously lowered his sword.

"That's how it is," Cissnei said with a smile as she put her phone away. "So get away safely."

She then turned and walked off.

_I knew you had it in you, Cissnei._

"Cissnei," Zack said, "thank you."

And then, Cissnei turned around and walked back up to Zack, pulling something out of her pocket. As I looked closer, I could see that it was a ring of keys.

"Here's a present," she said as she handed the keys to him. "If you think you can trust me, then use it."

She then walked away without returning.

HOURS LATER...

As it turned out, Cissnei had given Zack the keys to a motorcycle. This allowed him to travel much faster than before, getting closer and closer to Midgar by the moment.

I figured Cloud would ride bitch, but there was a side car for him to slouch in. He was still unconscious, and I realized that it would be best to not report anything to Tifa until he woke up.

Eventually, Zack got to a bridge. In the background, he could see Cosmo Canyon and its observatory. He realized that, as Shinra never really goes there (pay attention to that, because that fact comes back in the last chapter of this journal), it would be a safe haven to hide out in until Cloud recovered.

"Shinra makes good stuff!" Zack gloated as continued to speed across the bridge. Had it not been for Cissnei's change of heart, he would still be a few miles from Nibelheim. Now he actually had hope of escaping.

And then, he spotted two Genesis copies sitting on top of the bridge.

_Oh, shit!_

"Not again!" Zack shouted as he immediately braked the motorcycle and turned it ninety degrees.

He got off the motorcycle and drew his buster sword as the two copies jumped down to the surface.

As Zack confidently approached them, the real Genesis hovered behind him, kicking him as hard as he could.

Zack rolled forward and turned around.

It was a mistake; the Genesis copies saw their chance, with one grabbing his shoulder, and the other grabbing his hair.

"Get off me!" Zack exclaimed. "Ow, my hair!

"When the war of the beasts brings about the world's end," Genesis said as he casually looked on, strolling around and brandishing a dumbapple, "the goddess descends from the sky. Wings of light and dark spread afar. She guides us to bliss, her gift everlasting."

"That's my hair!" Zack shouted after noticing one of the copies had pulled out a patch of his hair.

"You were a test subject in Hojo's new experiment," Genesis informed him. "A modified version of Jenova's power runs through you."

"What?" exclaimed the restrained Zack. "Seriously?"

Genesis made a hand gesture.

And then, the copy put the hair in his mouth and ate it!

"No way!" Zack exclaimed. "He just ate my hair!"

Even I was shocked. I once saw a fat boy pick his nose and eat it, but this was definitely something I never saw coming.

"Your cells will be my gift of the goddess," Genesis continued. "The degradation will cease."

And then, Zack struggled his way free.

"You are twisted!" he snapped.

"The monster has been harvested," Genesis said, "and can be discarded."

"You're the monster!" Zack retorted.

"Legend shall speak of sacrifice at world's end," Genesis quoted as he turned and walked away.

Zack immediately began to pursue him.

"The wind sails over the water's surface," Genesis continued, ignoring Zack. "Quietly, but surely."

When Zack was only a foot behind him, Genesis sprang upward, as did one of the copies.

The other copy, I believe the one that ate the hair, suddenly began to choke and collapse to the pavement.

As Zack looked on in shone, a green light suddenly engulfed the copy. The light then turned yellow, and when it subsided, the copy had blue wings, and bird talons where it's feet should be.

Zack took his buster sword and put the creature out of its misery. After that, he realized there was nothing left to do but to resume the flight. He slowly walked back to the motorcycle, taking one last look at the copy's corpse.

"Angeal," he said aloud, "what do I do?"

He mounted and restarted the motorcycle, and took a look at the still unconscious Cloud.

"Tell me."

A FEW HOURS LATER...

At noon, Zack was driving through a barren canyon, when he was compelled to stop again.

He gasped in surprise as he recognized the area. He then got off the motorcycle again, and scanned his surroundings.

"Cloud!" he shouted joyfully. "This is my hometown! This is Gongaga!"

He remounted and drove closer to the town. And then, he stopped again.

He was by the Gongaga Reactor. That is to say, it was the Gongaga Reactor; it had exploded while he was in the tube. But, of course, he didn't know that.

"What the hell happened here?!" Zack exclaimed.

He immediately thought of his parents, and wondered if he should check on them to make sure they were okay.

"No," he realized aloud. "I can't go to my house; I'd probably walk right into an ambush."

He then took another look at Cloud.

"Wait here a minute," he commanded as he began to walk toward the town. "I'm just worried about my parents. I wonder if Mom's all right. It's risky, but should I go back to town?"

MINUTES LATER...

Zack was only able to spend a few moments in Gongaga before he heard a familiar voice greet him.

"Behind you," the voice called.

Zack turned around in surprise. It was Cissnei...again!

"So predictable," she said with her arms folded. "Couldn't you guess your hometown would be the first place we'd look?"

Zack grunted.

"Here to see your parents?" she asked.

"Yeah, so?" asked Zack. "What's wrong with that?"

"I see," she said.

"Yeah, well, I guess you're right," he admitted. "It was pretty careless. We'll be going."

With that, he began to walk away.

"Be careful," she warned. "Security is very tight right now. Apparently another target is in the area."

Zack stopped, and turned toward Cissnei.

"Who?" he asked.

_That was a dumb question,_ Zack thought. _She's obviously referring to Cloud._

But, instead, she got him by surprise.

"Angeal," she replied.

"I see," Zack acknowledged, seemingly not believing her.

"'I see?'" inquired Cissnei. "He died by your hand. You're not surprised?"

"I think he may have helped us escape Shinra Manor," he replied.

"Interesting," Cissnei observed. "The sighting reports were true."

"But why would he come to a place like Gongaga?" Zack asked.

"He came here to see you," she suggested. "What other reason could there be?"

And then, it hit him: if Angeal really was in the area, he was in danger of getting killed or captured.

"Run away if you can, Angeal!" Zack called as he frantically scanned his surroundings. "The Turks are watching!"

"I'll give you ten minutes," Cissnei said calmly. "After that, I return to the Turks."

"Return?" he inquired.

"Right now, I'm not in the mood," she clarified. "I can't bring bad news to your parents."

He realized that she was cutting him slack again.

"My mom," Zack began. "How is she?"

"She's worried," Cissnei replied. "She thinks after all this, you won't be able to find a wife."

"What's up with that?" he groaned.

"They're nice people," she said, "and they're doing fine."

"Good," he said. "That's all I need to know."

"Yeah," she said sadly.

Zack then realized that he never asked her anything about her life; it would only be fair if he did.

"How's your folks?" he asked as he turned to face her.

"I was raised inside Shinra," she answered.

And then, there was another question he felt he should ask even more.

"Why are you helping me?" Zack asked.

"I know how you feel," Cissnei replied. "I lost my best friend, too."

Zack gasped in shock.

"Tobin passed away?!"

Cissnei quickly shook her head.

"No," she replied, "but the Shinra cut him loose. We can't share an apartment anymore, and I have no free time on my hands." She sighed. "I miss him terribly. I'd give anything to see him again."

"Do you keep in touch on social media?" Zack asked.

"It's not the same," Cissnei replied sadly.

It was the saddest I had ever seen her...so far.

"Sorry," she apologized. "I don't mean to be a downer."

Of course, I wanted to de-cloak, but I couldn't risk putting Zack or Cloud in danger.

"No worries," Zack assured her. "But don't scare me like that. I thought Tobin died. He is a great guy."

Thanks, Zack.

"Hey, Cissnei," he continued, "would you mind keeping my folks company for a while?"

"All right," she agreed as her smile returned. "No problem."

"They'll probably ask you to join the family," he joked.

"Already happened," Cissnei informed him as she began to walk away.

"What did you say?" he asked in surprise. "Cissnei!"

"Not my real name," she responded without looking back. "You have five minutes left!"

A moment later, she was gone.

Suddenly, Zack head a rustling nearby.

"Angeal?" he called hopefully. "Angeal! It is you!"

In the distance, Zack could see a figure with one white wing fly away.

"Hey, wait!" he called.

There was no response.

"Is it really Angeal?" he asked aloud. "Only one way to know for sure."

He ran up the path and across a stream. When he got to the top of the hill, he saw the white-haired figure standing with his back turned to him for but a moment before flying off again.

"Wait!" Zack pleaded.

Just then, two advanced Genesis copies landed behind him.

"What is this!?" Zack demanded as he spun around.

"S...cells!" moaned one of them.

"I don't have any S cells!" Zack dismissed as he pulled out his sword.

He quickly killed the two copies. His peace was short lived, however, as two more advanced copies landed beside him.

"S...cells...S...cells," they groaned.

"His cells are completely useless!" called a familiar voice.

Zack looked to see Hollander slowly descending to the ground. His hair-and beard-were now completely white. He had one black wing behind him.

Zack quickly saw another familiar face; Genesis, dumbapple in hand, descended beside him.

"You are a former member of SOLDIER," Hollander said. "Your cellular structure has already mutated."

"Hollander!?" Zack exclaimed. "You did it to yourself?"

"Yes," Hollander replied, "after nearly being killed by Genesis. It was really all I could do to survive. I merely borrowed some cells from Genesis."

"You know," Zack pointed out, "you're degrading."

"Indeed," Hollander agreed, "but there is still some hope."

"The gift of the goddess," Genesis specified. "A pure S cell sample will stop the degradation process."

He brandished the dumbapple in Zack's direction.

"Pure?" asked Zack

"There are two of you on the run," Genesis replied as he lowered his arm.

"Uh, no," Zack lied.

"One is a former SOLDIER operative," said Genesis. "The other, an infantryman."

"That infantryman carries within his body the last pure S-cells in the world!" announced Hollander.

With that, Hollander, along with surrounding creatures, flew off.

Zack began to give chase, but Genesis held his arm out, stopping him.

"Do you know the verse in Act Four that leads in to the final act?" Genesis asked.

"Of course not!" Zack snapped.

"Legend shall speak of sacrifice at world's end," Genesis quoted. "The wind sails over the water's surface quietly, but surely."

"Enough about sacrifices and endings!" Zack hollered. "I don't want to hear it!"

"You don't understand the beauty of these words," Genesis lamented. "How tragic; I'm not surprised. Even I didn't understand all of it. The greatest mystery behind the gift of the goddess. 'The water's surface.' And the answer I have arrived at, is the Lifestream."

"What?" Zack demanded.

"There are various theories regarding the final act," Genesis replied as he presented the dumbapple again. "However, only my theory is correct. And I will prove it to you."

"No," Zack dismissed, "that won't be necessary!"

Zack charged, but Genesis immediately flew away, leaving behind the dumbapple for Zack to catch.

Zack immediately stood up, only to see the fleeing Genesis far out of range.

"You will understand," Genesis called, and was gone.

Zack stood there for a few moments, wondering how to catch up to Genesis so he could finish him off for good.

_Why this rotten feeling?_ he thought all of a sudden.

And then, he realized who he had left behind.

"Cloud's in danger!" he exclaimed. "I gotta get back to the reactor! Run like you mean it, Zack!"

Zack ran back the way he came. By the time he reached Cloud, he was nearly too late; Hollander and those two nasties were there, and the former was approaching Cloud, who was still passed out in the side car.

"Cloud, run!" Zack called.

He immediately charged in Hollander's direction.

And then, another one-winged creatures swooped in, hitting the two nasties and landing in front of Hollander.

Hollander pushed the intruder to the ground.

The intruder stood up, and prepared for a fight.

Zack quickly recognized the intruder's facial features.

They were Angeal's.

"Why, you!" Zack shouted.

Hollander quickly saw his chance and began to dart off.

Zack quickly caught up with him, drawing his sword as he came within a few yards.

"I'll do whatever I have to do!" he growled.

Hollander turned around, and started to blow what looked like poisonous gas from his mouth.

Zack jumped back, and threw his buster sword, striking Hollander in the chest and exiting his back.

Hollander fell to the ground, dead.

Zack then rushed back to Cloud.

The intruder had seemingly killed the nasties, and was now sitting on the ground.

"It's been a long time, Zack," he greeted.

Zack smiled, and began to toss the dumbapple he had caught casually in his hand.

"So, what happened?" he asked. "That thing wasn't so tough!"

"I can't fight like a First," the intruder replied. "I'm just an Angeal copy."

Zack froze in disappointment.

_So it's not Angeal, then._

"Copy?" he asked.

"It's Lazard," the intruder announced as he stood up.

He then sat down again; he seemed weakened.

"So, you're the one who helped Hollander out of Junon?" Zack asked. "Why would you do such a thing?"

"To exact my revenge," Lazard replied, "I needed Hollander."

"You really chose the wrong friends, didn't you?" Zack reprimanded.

"I agree," Lazard affirmed. "I never dreamed I'd be turned into an Angeal copy."

"Well, just be happy you're linked to Project G," Zack said.

"It's a strange feeling," Lazard mentioned. "The lust for vengeance that had so consumed my life is all but gone now. In its place is a desire to help you, a desire to save Genesis." He paused. "No, it's bigger than that. I want to save the world."

Zack walked a couple of yards away, and stood with his back turned to Lazard for a few moments. Then, he suddenly drew his sword.

I was stunned.

_Is he going to execute him?_ I thought. _Or maybe put him out of his misery?_

But, instead, he turned around and simply spoke to him.

"Nothing strange about that," Zack said as he aimed his sword toward the sky. "Angeal lives inside you."

"Genesis is trying to obtain the 'gift of the goddess,'" Lazard said, "but what is it, exactly? No, whatever it is, he must be stopped."

"I just don't understand what he's talking about at all," said Zack as he put his sword away. "What should I do?"

Lazard took a look at his wing.

"Angeal may show us the way, perhaps," he said.

"Maybe," Zack agreed. "I hope so, director."

Lazard began to laugh.

"'Director,'" he echoed. "So, Zack, what is your dream?"

"Huh?" asked Zack, before he remembered how he had asked him the same question before. "Oh, let's see. To become a hero!"

"Unattainable dreams are the best kind," Lazard repeated.

"Oh, come on!" Zack protested. "Lend me a hand! You and Angeal both. If we pull this off, we'll all be heroes! At the very least, I'd feel like one!"

Lazard smiled.

"So, Zack," he suggested, "where is Genesis?"

Zack was confused at first. Genesis has flown off, and was nowhere to be seen. He could have gone anywhere.

And then, Zack spotted what he was still holding in his left hand.

He had an epiphany.

"Oh!" Zack exclaimed as he flaunted the apple.

"I see," Lazard said.

Zack remembered how Lazard had told him the one place where dumbapples grew.

Genesis had to be there.

It was time for a final showdown.

And then, Zack noticed a feather fall.

"I don't have much time left," Lazard informed him.


	61. The Showdown

Premonitions II: Crisis Core

Just for a Recap...

Premonitions II_ is set in the alternate timeline caused by Bestla in the original _Premonitions._ The sequel picks up several hours after the original _Premonitions_ ends. Tifa, against everyone's advice, goes to see the Continental Governor, both to clear names and to find her father, whom she strongly suspects is still alive. Unknown to her, a man named Victor Karnak, who bears an odd resemblance to Cloud, overhears the interrogation._

_Tifa is also tasked with planning her long-awaited wedding to Cloud that Saturday. She befriends Elena, who no longer has any differences with her. Vincent, meanwhile, grows despondent of Lucrecia, and determines to restore her in the new timeline._

_Karnak soon begins making attempts on Tifa's life. Despite this, Tifa, after visiting the Nibel Reactor, the former Shinra Building (now home to various start-up companies), and a deadly fun house, determines that her father was taken to the Island Gulag. The downside is that she has no idea where it is._

_Remembering that her cousin, Tobin, said something about the Island Gulag, Tifa pays a visit to his roommate and best friend, Alicia Reynolds, a.k.a. Cissnei. Cissnei informs her that Tobin has disappeared, having gone to the Island Gulag himself, but left a journal in the Gongaga Reactor ruins that would reveal the Gulag's location._

_After lying to Cloud and telling him she is giving up the search, Tifa knocks him out and goes to the Gongaga Reactor. There, she finds the journal, but is confronted by Karnak, who had previously warned her to drop the search. He has a strongwoman beat her, leaving her mortally wounded with every bone in her body broken. Tifa is left bleeding, broken, and dying as a mysterious shuttle takes her away._

_THE JOURNAL_

_Years before the start of _Final Fantasy VII_, Tifa's cousin, Tobin, spies on Zack Fair, using a cloaking bracelet, in the simulator at Shinra Headquarters. Soon, Zack and his mentor, Angeal Hewley, were sent to Wutai to support the war there. Although they succeed in taking Fort Tamblin, Angeal disappears._

_Meanwhile, Tobin wakes up to find his cloaking bracelet stolen. After hard interrogation, Yuffie, who stole the bracelet, reveals it is in a temple where sentries lure people in and kill them. They allow him into the temple, not realizing that he will use it to escape._

_A short time later, Zack is sent to Banora to investigate the disappearance of yet another SOLDIER member, Genesis Rhapsodos. It is discovered that Genesis is somehow cloning himself. Angeal reappears, only, to Zack's shock, to kill his own mother. Banora is destroyed to cover up the events of the day._

_Tobin, meanwhile, meets two girls: Durham Haverford, a rich girl on the upper plate, and Aerith Gainsborough, a cheerleader from the slums. Both girls seem interested in him, and he is interested in both of them. Ultimately, Tobin chooses Durham._

_Meanwhile, Genesis copies begin to invade the Shinra Building, leading Zack and Sephiroth to confront Genesis at Reactor Number Five. They soon find Hollander, the scientist behind the entire mess. Deeper into the reactor, Zack encounters Angeal. Before he can reason with him, Zack is sent through the reactor floor and into the slums._

_Zack survives the fall, and thereafter meets Aerith. The two teens become smitten with each other, and go on a date. Zack is soon called away to stop another invasion, while Aerith goes to her best friend, Gehrig Cline, to tell her about the day._

_Zack stops the invasion, which cumulates in a bizarre encounter with Angeal and Hojo. He then goes on several more dates with Aerith, and the two feel a strong connection. Durham, however, does not feel such a connection, and before long, she dumps Tobin, and subsequently marries her next boyfriend on a whim._

_Zack, Aerith, Tobin, and Gehrig spend the summer together. They end up going to Gold Saucer, where Zack and Aerith have sex for the first time, which inadvertently causes the sexiled Gehrig to fall asleep on Tobin, humorously sparking a connection between the two._

_That winter, Zack is sent to Modeoheim, where he meets Cloud Strife. Also while there, he has one more confrontation with Angeal, which apparently results in his death. Devastated, Zack soon develops a meaningful friendship with Cloud._

_Summer soon comes again, and, after a pool party and even a trip to a nude beach together, Tobin and Gehrig strengthen their bond. Tobin finally gathers the courage to ask her out, but she dies of a heart attack before she can say yes._

_At the end of the summer, after Genesis wrecks havoc on Junon, Zack, Sephiroth, and Cloud are dispatched to Nibelheim to investigate the disappearances of Shinra employees at the local reactor. There, Genesis informs Sephiroth that he is the result of an experiment, causing him to lose his sanity and burn Nibelheim to the ground. Zack attempts to stop Sephiroth at the reactor and fails, but Cloud manages to get Zack's sword and toss Sephiroth into the abyss, apparently killing him._

_Cloud and Zack disappear after that, leaving Aerith devastated. As their bond grows again, Aerith asked Tobin to the prom with her. Despite having a good time and even having sex that night, Aerith tells Tobin they have different destinies and cannot be a couple. They tearfully part ways after graduation._

_Tobin, Tifa, Cissnei (who was furloughed by the Turks), and Karnak (a hybrid clone of both Cloud and Sephiroth) take of martial arts training with Zangan, Tifa's maternal grandfather. On the fourth year, however, Genesis corrupts Karnak the same way he had corrupted Sephiroth, leaving Zangan dead. Soon afterward, Tobin's internship is terminated, and Cissnei is recalled to the Turks._

_Meanwhile, Zack and Cloud, who were imprisoned in the Shinra Mansion, escape, first fleeing to Gongaga. There, Zack learns that Genesis is hiding in Banora. And, there, he realizes that he must enter a final showdown from which he might never return..._

Chapter 61: The Showdown

Hojo entered the board room on the sixthy-sixth floor of the Shinra Building. He could see President Shinra at the head of the table, with Palmer, Scarlett, and Reeve on the left, and Rufus and Heidegger on the right. He was at their full attention.

"We have reports that Zack Fair has caught a ferry to the Southern Island," Heidegger began. "Plans are already underway to recapture him, but we need to know how dangerous he is."

"He is quite harmless," Hojo replied. "In the sense of contaminating anyone. He was placed in the tube in the Shinra Mansion within weeks of the Nibelheim incident. He didn't escape until a few days ago."

"Within weeks?" Scarlet inquired. "I thought he was put there immediately."

Hojo shook his head.

"We first had him on the Island Gulag," he explained. "He wasn't very cooperative, if you can put it that way."

"Wait a minute," President Shinra interjected. "You're saying Zack was taken to, and then from, the Island Gulag?"

"That is correct," Hojo replied.

"Nobody leaves the Island Gulag," Rufus protested.

"Except him," Hojo corrected. "The Island Gulag has everything but the capsules, which is why he was placed in the Shinra Mansion with Cloud."

President Shinra sat back in his chair and lit a cigar. "So Zack Fair knows where the Island Gulag is. Very unfortunate for him."

"I think we need a change of plans," Rufus added.

MEANWHILE...

Darkness fell as Zack arrived at Banora. He parked the motorcycle in a safe spot where he hoped no Shinra troops or Genesis copies would find it. Cloud was still passed out, with no more progress than before. Zack would occasionally check to see whether he was still breathing.

_Genesis always carries a dumbapple around,_ Zack thought to himself as he dismounted the motorcycle. _I should have caught on quicker._

He scanned the remains of the town. In front of him was a huge chasm that was glowing green.

"It's so different now," he said aloud.

Behind him, Lazard landed, and seemed to be struggling to stand up. He seemed to be in pain.

But pain or not, he could prove useful.

"Could you watch over Cloud for me?" Zack requested.

"Certainly," Lazard agreed.

And then, further in the distance, Zack noticed a beam the was glowing green much more strongly than the canyon.

"What's that?" Zack asked.

He then took another look at the ailing men behind him.

"Don't worry about Cloud," Lazard assured him. "I promise I will protect him."

Zack turned to Cloud.

"Cloud, wait here, all right?" he commanded. "I'll be right back."

Zack made his way to the edge of of chasm, where the beam of light was emanating from brightly.

_If I go down there,_ he thought,_ I probably can't come back up. So this is it. And if I have to die because of this, so be it._

Zack entered the chasm, and found himself in a somewhat familiar setting. It almost seemed like he was inside the factory again.

He then spotted a tunnel.

"Was this here before?" he asked aloud. "Where does it lead?"

The tunnel had lights on the side; he certainly was not the first person there. He continued down, preparing to draw his sword, as anything or anyone could be down there.

Eventually, he came to a wooden desk. What it had been doing there was beyond him. On it was a scrapbook, and a shelf with trophies.

Zack became curious, and opened the scrapbook. Inside was a newspaper clipping.

"'First Prize: Banora White Juice Processed Foods Category, National Agriculture Awards,'" he read aloud. "Wow. 'The idea to make this juice came from a Banora youth named Genesis.' Wow, just wow! 'Genesis's comments: I am very honored. Banora White juice tastes great, but the fruit itself is quite tasty as well. My dream is for my parents and me to serve the hero Sephiroth our apples one day. Since we are close in age, I would like to show him what I've accomplished in my life.'"

At that moment, Zack heard a hideous noise in the background.

"Genesis," he said as he put the scrapbook down and looked further into the tunnel. "Is there anything I can do to save him?"

He started down the tunnel, reaching a flight of stairs. At the bottom of the stairs, he found himself in a chamber where crystals seemed to be growing out of the ground. Streams of water were flowing through as well.

As Zack worked his way along the path, he saw what appeared to be some kind of tombstone. But it read:

"LOVELESS - Prologue: When the war of beasts brings about the world's end, the goddess descends from the sky. Wings of light and dark spread afar, she guides us to bliss, her gift everlasting.

Further up the path, he encountered a second marker. This one read:

"LOVELESS - ACT I. The infinite mystery, the gift of the goddess is what the three men seek. But their fates are scattered by war. One becomes a hero, one wanders the land, the last is taken prisoner. But the three are still bound by a solemn oath to seek the answer together, once again."

After a few more yards, he spotted another stone. It read:

"LOVELESS - ACT II. Though the prisoner escapes, he is gravely wounded. His life is saved, however, by a woman of the opposing nation. He begins a life of seclusion with her, which seems to hold the promise of eternal bliss. But, as happiness grows, so does guilt of not fulfilling the oath to his friends."

Eventually, Zack arrived at the other end of the chamber. The chamber beyond had a yellow-greenish tint to its walls. Right at the entrance, there was yet another stone that read:

"LOVELESS - ACT III. As the war sends the world hurtling towards destruction, the prisoner departs with his newfound love and embarks on a new journey. He is guided by hope that the gift will bring bliss, and the oath that he swore to his friends, thought no oath is shared between the lovers. In their hearts they know they will meet again."

The next room was beyond amazing and I can barely describe it. There was a statue of a woman, holding what appeared to be materia. Behind the stature, roots grew from the ground, winding two hundred feet up. At the top was a glowing, pink orb.

"My soul," began a familiar voice, "corrupted by vengeance, hath endured torment to find the end of the journey in my own salvation."

As Zack approached the statue, he could see Genesis facing it.

Genesis, now looking even sicker, turned to face Zack. His hair was now completely white, as was his face, and even his eyes, except for his pupils.

"You're late," he announced.

"'Loveless' again?" Zack inquired.

"You have succeeded Angeal's spirit, and carry a part of Sephiroth within you," Genesis explained. "Thus, the three friends are united once again, and 'Loveless' is reenacted."

"No!" protested Zack. "Open your eyes, Genesis!"

"When the war of the beasts brings about the world's end," Genesis defiantly continued.

"I've come here to help you," Zack insisted as he put his hand on his heart.

I was hoping Zack would finished Genesis off; the man had completely lost it.

"The goddess descends from the sky," quoted Genesis as he pointed upward. "Wings of light and dark spread afar. She guides us to bliss, her gift everlasting."

The orb let out a blinding glow.

"What is that?" Zack asked.

"The gift of the goddess," Genesis replied. "A heavenly boon found only in Banora."

"I thought the cells were the gift!" Zack objected.

"There are various interpretations," Genesis replied.

"I don't understand," said Zack.

"To ponder the mystery is in itself a gift," declared Genesis as the orb grew brighter. "We will all join the lifestream. You are no exception. The planet has become my guardian."

With that, Genesis raised his sword to the ceiling. Moments later, energy began to flow into him with such force that he began to shout.

"Keep talking to me!" Zack shouted. "Don't let it take over! You're not a monster; you're one of us!"

Suddenly, Genesis yelled again, and his eyes began to glow a yellow-orange.

Alarmed, Zack drew his own sword.

"Damn you!" he shouted as he charged him.

As he did so, he was blinded by a white light. When the light subsided, Genesis was no longer human.

But you would never be able to tell that he was degrading. He was now ten yards tall. He was plated in armor. And he had one big-assed sword.

Genesis immediately struck at Zack with his sword, causing it to get stuck into the ground.

Seeing his chance, Zack, well aware that his sword would not penetrate Genesis' armor, began to cast Fira. It had no effect.

Genesis lifted his sword out of the ground and stabbed at Zack again. He missed, leaving the sword right back where it had been.

Suddenly, four creatures began to emerge from the sword. They were gray, and looked almost like the Grim Reaper. They were, in practice, mortal, and Zack was able to kill each one with one swipe.

Zack cast Thundaga on Genesis, but he was still unharmed.

"Fuck!" Zack cried. "This son of a bitch is immortal!"

Genesis withdrew his sword before driving it into the ground yet again. Four more wraiths emerged from the sword.

This time, Zack noticed something: the wraiths seemed to be coming from a jewel embedded in the sword.

He quickly dispatched the wraiths and aimed his sword at the large jewel.

Before Genesis could withdraw his sword, Zack drove his sword into the jewel.

It shattered, followed by another blinding flash of light.

And then, the light subsided.

The orb at the top of the roots was no longer glowing; it was empty and hollow.

But Zack's attention was focused on the entity nearby.

It was the original Genesis. He was now only six feet tall. His armor was gone. He was no longer degrading. He no longer had a wing. His hair was brown instead of white. He was how he had originally been.

"I'm normal again," he said.

"What a miracle," Zack replied sarcastically.

"Go on!" Genesis taunted. "Kill me! Kill me the exact same way your killed Sephiroth!"

"I didn't kill Sephiroth," Zack insisted. "A trooper finished him off."

"My soul," Genesis continued as he staggered toward Zack, "corrupted by vengeance, hath endured torment to find the end of the journey in my own salvation, and your eternal slumber."

"Does this mean you knew from the beginning?" Zack inquired.

In response, Genesis pointed his sword at Zack before charging him.

Zack dodged with the greatest of ease.

"Stand and fight, SOLDIER First Class Zack!" Genesis taunted as he turned around.

"Why is everyone always pushing things on me?" Zack sighed.

Zack drew his sword, but I could tell he didn't want this fight.

Genesis charged him again. He was determined, but weakened.

After only two strokes, Zack knocked Genesis' sword away, sending it flying through the air.

Both Zack and I saw Genesis stagger for a bit.

But Genesis saw something completely different.

He found himself surrounded by green energy-was that Lifestream? In any event, the statue began to glow. Moments later, it was replaced by an actual goddess. Genesis reached for her, but she was immediately consumed by the Lifestream. And then, Genesis felt himself falling.

Meanwhile, back in reality, the statue broke and fell, and Genesis collapsed to the ground.

Zack gazed at the fallen Genesis. Now was his chance to finish him off.

But he didn't do that. Instead, he walked over to him, picked him up, and carried him off.

I was beyond astounded to watch that, but I realized that it made sense. He was now harmless. It was the noble thing to do, as opposed to Zack just murdering Genesis and that's the end of the story.

LATER...

By the time Zack got Genesis to the site, he could see Cloud, still passed out and propped up in a chair. Lazard sat on the ground beside him. He was relieved that they were apparently okay.

Zack gently set Genesis down and knelt by Lazard to thank him.

It was then that he noticed Lazard's labored breathing. A chalky white fluid was oozing out of his chest, and Zack realized right away that it was blood. Something had happened for sure.

"Shinra attacked us," Lazard uttered.

"Save your strength," Zack ordered.

In response, Lazard pointed his finger.

"I got some help," Lazard continued, "from him...over there."

Zack quickly looked to where Lazard had been pointing.

It was the same quadruped that appeared in the sector five church, shortly before the Nibelheim mission. It was dead, and laying on its side.

"It's you," Zack said.

Tears began to fill his eyes. The creature had been looking out for him the entire time. But he never knew until now.

As Zack was sobbing, Lazard's hand slumped to the ground.

"Director!" he cried as he ran to his side and knelt down.

Lazard remained still. He had died as well.

The grieving Zack pounded the grass. After calming down, he rose to his feet.

"Thank you," he said sadly.

He then glanced again at the fallen Genesis.

Taking pity on him, Zack picked three dumbapples. He kept one for himself, gave one to Genesis, and the third to Cloud.

"Ok, let's eat!" Zack commanded. "Sorry I'm not the real thing, but..."

Without finishing, Zack began eating his apple.

"Is it good?" Genesis groggily asked, without eating his own.

"Yeah," replied the surprised Zack.

"The gift of the goddess," Genesis said softly.

"This apple?" Zack asked.

Genesis weakly shook his head.

"Angeal," he clarified. "The dream came true."

Just then, out of the corner of his eye, Zack spotted a piece of paper under the paw of the dead quadruped. It seemed as if the creature had also been carrying a message.

He slowly walked over to it, and picked it up.

It was a letter.

And Zack quickly recognized the handwriting as Aerith's.

It read:

_Dear Zack,_

_How are you? I wish I knew where you were. It's already been four years now. This is the eighty-ninth letter that I've sent to you, but I don't even know where to send them anymore. I really hope that this final letter that I am writing gets to you._

_Zack, I have no idea what I did wrong to drive you away. I've tried to move on. I've dated. I've even been engaged once. But, each time, it failed. You were the first person I drove away, and I just want to know why, so I'll never do it again._

_Was it something I said? Was I too needy or clingy? Was it because I talked about getting married right out of high school? Please, Zack, tell me._

_What about all the good things we had? What about you taking me in when the Shinra was coming after me? What about the times we held each other when we each lost our best friends? What about all the fun dates? What about the times we had sex?_

_Sorry to ask so much. But this is my final letter, so I need to get all my questions out._

_By the way, the flowers are selling very well. They make everyone so happy thanks to you, Zack!_

_Love,_

_Aerith_

Zack's mouth began to dry. He tilted his head slightly up.

"Four years?" he said in shock.

_That couldn't be right,_ he thought. _I've only been gone for two weeks!_

And then...

FLASHBACK...

"Zack?!" she exclaimed. "Zack Fair?!"

"That depends on who's asking," he said.

"It's me!" she announced. "Yuffie!"

"Yuffie?!" Zack asked, confused.

_That girl who was always stealing?_ he thought.

"Kisaragi," she clarified.

_That can't be her!_

"You're her older sister?" Zack asked.

"No, I'm her!" Yuffie insisted.

"Yuffie Kisaragi's eleven years old," Zack dismissed.

"Is this a joke?" she giggled.

Zack shook his head.

"I'm fifteen!" Yuffie insisted. "I've got my boobs, got my butt..."

END FLASHBACK...

_That was no prank. That really was Yuffie. All grown up. I was out for four years. I'm in my twenties now._

Unbeknownst to him, he dropped the dumbapple.

He then look straight up at the sky.

"What do you mean, final!?" he shouted at the top of his lungs.

_Four years! Zack thought. Four long years! Shinra...there's going to be hell to pay!_

And then, Zack felt himself calm slightly. He looked back down.

_The letter implied that Aerith is single. Maybe...we can get back together._

"Aerith," he said, "wait for me."

He quickly walked over to the unconscious Cloud and lifted him over his shoulder.

"You're going to make it, too," he assured him. "You got that?"

He began to walk towards his buster sword. He stopped, and then turned to look at Genesis one last time. He extended him a simple nod. He then picked up his buster sword, and was off.

AN HOUR LATER...

Genesis continued to sit until he heard a helicopter land a few yards away from him.

"This must be an important matter if they are sending the two of us," he heard a first voice say.

"Apparently the subject will become our brother," said a second voice.

"Is that so?" asked the first voice. "But, will he accept his fate willingly?"

Genesis only had the strength to slightly lift his head. The two visitors seemed to be wearing some variation of a SOLDIER uniform. A moment later, he felt himself being lifted.

Even if the morrow is barren of promises, nothing shall forestall my return, Genesis thought as the two visitors carried him to the helicopter. To become the dew that quenches the land, to spare the sands, the seas, the skies, I offer thee this silent sacrifice.

LATER...

Zack arrived in Costa del Sol to immediately encounter a familiar face approaching him.

"Yuffie?" he greeted.

"So you're not doubting it's me anymore?" she greeted back.

Zack shook his head. "I guess you could say I was kind of living under a rock."

Yuffie smiled.

"So I take it you're here to feast your eyes on all that ass on the beach?" she teased.

"Here to steal again?" Zack asked in the same tone of voice in retort. "Possibly from me?"

"No way," she insisted. "I'm going to the beach!"

Zack gave her a skeptical look, as she was the only girl in the area in street clothes instead of a bikini. She was wearing her green crop top sweater and undone khaki shorts.

"Where's your swimsuit, then?" he interrogated.

"Didn't bring one," Yuffie replied with a smirk. "I'm going to Costa del Luna since tan lines suck. Care to join me?"

"I'll pass," Zack dismissed.

"You don't want to go to a nude beach with a cutie like me?" she asked.

"I kind of need to get to Midgar," he replied.

"Have a booty call?" she giggled.

"To be perfectly frank," Zack replied, "I do."

Yuffie gave him a disappointed look.

"You know there's an ocean between you an Midgar, right?" she reminded him. "You can try and swim it if you want."

"What are you getting at?" he asked.

"I just happen to have two barge tickets to Junon," she replied. "Want them?"

"You mean you stole them?" Zack inquired.

"Maybe," she said with a smirk. "But does it matter?"

"I suppose not," he agreed. "So what's the bad news?"

"One date," Yuffie demanded.

Zack shook his head.

"That wouldn't work," he dismissed.

"Fine," she sighed, as she folded her arms and turned her back to him. "Just FYI, jellyfish stings take a week to fully heal. And you're not supposed to pee on 'em!"

Zack then realized he was beaten. Not that he had to follow through, of course. If she wasn't trustworthy, he didn't have to be.

"Fine!" he sighed. "One date."

"You got yourself a deal," Yuffie giggled as she turned around again and handed Zack the boarding passes. And then, she spotted the passed-out Cloud, who was face down. "Oh my God!" she gasped. "Is that a dead body?!"

Zack nodded.

"President Shinra needs a kidney," he lied. "This is a perfect match."

"Damn!" Yuffie exclaimed. "Well, get it to Midgar, then. Don't forget, you owe me a date!"

A moment later, Yuffie was gone.

Zack gazed at the tickets and smiled.

_She thought I had died or cut her off, so she had to move on,_ he thought. _No one can blame her. I'll explain everything when I see her. I know she'll forgive me._

The journal's almost over, by the way. I'll shortly deal with Zack's arrival on the Eastern Continent.

Have a Kleenex handy.


	62. Becoming a Hero

Premonitions II: Crisis Core

Chapter 62: Becoming a Hero

Zack and Cloud made it to Junon, where they immediately checked into an inn and stayed there until dark. After that, Zack quietly carried Cloud out of Junon, making his way through the Mythril Mine to Kalm. By the time they arrived there, it was night again. Zack found them another inn to stay at; troops around Midgar were more active during the night than during the day.

Cloud was still largely unresponsive, and Zack was wondering if he would ever be the same again. He tried everything under the sun to get him to talk, even mentioning that he needed to see Tifa again, but to no avail.

In the morning, Zack hitched a ride in the back of a pickup truck that was heading straight for Midgar. He had offered the driver a decent sum, and the driver simply pointed to the back of the truck.

"Get your asses in," he ordered.

"Looks like this is the final stretch," Zack said to Cloud with a smile. "We'll be in Midgar before dark."

_Aerith,_ he thought, _here I come._

MEANWHILE...

One hundred armed Shinra troopers stood at attention on the top floor balcony of the Shinra Building, just outside of the president's office.

Rufus was handing out pictures of Zack; the poor target had learned something he shouldn't have.

"I need a hundred of you because he's dangerous," President Shinra announced. "Everyone, take a good look at the flyer. Remember his black, spikey hair. Remember his blue, mako eyes."

He allowed a few moments for the troopers to scan the pictures. They needed to know exactly what he looked like.

"Shoot to kill," he ordered. "You all understand?"

All hundred troopers nodded in unison.

Ten helicopters then arrived, taking ten troops each.

MEANWHILE...

More drama was unfolding on another helipad in the city.

"Cissnei!" shouted Tseng as she approached the helicopter. "The army's mobilizing. Find the targets before they do."

"Understood," Cissnei agreed. "The army won't be as subtle."

She then turned and went for the helicopter.

_It's a race against time, _she thought. _I really hate this job, but if I can save Zack, maybe my time here would be worthwhile._

"I want them alive, you hear me?" he commanded. "You're going to save Zack's life."

"Of course!" she agreed as she turned around once more. "I haven't even told him my real name."

"You like this guy?" Tseng asked.

"Not in that way," she dismissed.

"I guess you're still not over that Tobin guy," Tseng said.

"I guess you've been looking through some keyholes," Cissnei retorted, annoyed.

"Help them, Cissnei," Tseng pleaded. "I have letters for Zack. Eighty-eight of them."

Cissnei, still annoyed at Tseng's prying, simply waved to him without looking back.

SOMEWHERE ELSE...

The pickup truck continued down the dirt road as Zack began to become impatient.

"Yo! Old guy!" he called. "We at Midgar yet?"

"Shaddap!" the driver snapped. "You're lucky I even gave you a ride!"

Zack sat down and turned to Cloud.

"What're you gonna do once we get to Midgar?" he asked.

Sure enough, Cloud was still a vegetable.

"I know what I'm gonna do," Zack announced. "I got a place I can crash for a while...no wait, the mother lives there, too. Guess that's out."

Cloud softly groaned.

"Yep," Zack continued, "gotta change my plans! No matter what I do, I need some money first." He then took a look at Cloud. "Hey, wanna start a business? But what could we do?"

Cloud was silent.

"Hey, Cloud," Zack began, "think there's anything I'd be good at?"

Cloud was still silent.

"Hey old guy!" Zack then called. "What do you think I'd be good at?"

"What're you yappin' about?" shouted the driver. "You're still young, ain't ya? Young folks should try everything! You gotta pay your dues while you're young. Go out and look for what you really want."

"Try everything," Zack said aloud. "That's easy for him to say."

Zack then started doing his first squats in four years, but, as his muscles had atrophied, it started to burn quickly.

"Hey!" he shouted. "Of course! I got a lot of brains and skill that other guys don't! That settles it! I'm gonna become a mercenary! Yeah! Thanks pops!"

"Hey!" yelled the driver. "Didn't you even hear a word I said?"

"Listen," Zack continued. "I'm gonna become a mercenary and that's that. Boring stuff, dangerous stuff, anything for money. I'm gonna be rich! So, Cloud? What are you gonna do?"

"No, wait!" the driver protested. "You got it all wrong!"

Cloud almost looked as if he was upset.

"Just kidding," Zack assured him as he sat down. "I won't leave you hanging like that. We're friends, right? Mercenaries, Cloud. That's what you and me are gonna be. Understand, Cloud?"

Cloud, as usual, said nothing.

MEANWHILE...

Still another helicopter flew through the skies outside of Midgar.

"They can't be serious," Reno muttered from the cockpit. "There's no way we're gonna find two needles in a haystack this size."

Rude gave him a look.

"There's no mission that's impossible for the-"

"Turks, yeah, yeah," Reno interjected.

"Also," Rude continued, "Tseng apparently has something to give him."

"Who," asked Reno, "the target?"

Rude nodded.

"So we're couriers now," Reno sighed. "Delivering packages to fugitives, huh?"

"Reno, Rude, status!" called Cissnei over the intercom.

"We got nothing," Reno answered.

"You?" inquired Rude.

"Likewise," Cissnei replied. "I'm heading to Point 235. You two take Point 120."

"Roger," acknowledged Rude.

"All right," said Reno. "Let's get going."

NEARBY...

The truck, having served its purpose, took off, leaving Zack and Cloud less than a couple of miles from Midgar's borders.

_I know exactly where I'll get in,_ Zack thought. _There's an enterance right by the church. I'll take Cloud straight to Aerith's house. She'll see him, I'll explain everything, and, hopefully, she'll understand._

_And yet, it seems quiet here. Maybe too quiet._

Zack, realizing that something was wrong, hid Cloud safely behind a couple of rocks. He smiled, and seemed to pat him on the head.

Cloud, obviously, didn't say anything.

Zack then started down the path, heading for a nearby clearing.

What he didn't see was Cloud raising his hand and reaching for Zack.

He was starting to recover!

_Maybe I can tell Tifa today,_ I thought. _She'll be so happy to know where he is. I'll make sure she and Cloud get together._

_And I'll make sure Aerith and Zack get together, too. She was his first. I can't get in the way._

But all of that changed when Zack got to the clearing.

There were a hundred, count them, a hundred troopers there, each well-armed. A couple of choppers hovered nearby.

If that was me, I would be scared shitless. But Zack just shook his head.

"Boy oh boy," he sighed. "The price of freedom is steep."

With a grin of confidence, Zack drew his sword, and put his head to it.

"Embrace your dreams," he said to himself. "And, whatever happens, protect your honor as SOLDIER! Come and get it!"

With that, he charged the troopers.

They immediately opened fire. Zack kept running from one end to the other, rolling and dodging the gunfire.

_Damn, he's slick,_ I thought.

The armor he was wearing provided some protection, but it wouldn't last forever. It could only take so much damage, and there were a hundred troopers.

Then, one of the troopers ran out of ammo. He charged Zack with his empty machine gun, only to get himself killed.

99.

Zack continued to run, role, and dodge.

98.

97.

Whenever a trooper came too close, Zack killed him with his sword. He was taking a defensive strategy.

90.

89.

Why was he doing it? Cloud depended on him for protection. I never knew Zack was that protective of his friends.

71.

70.

I wanted to help him. But I had no weapons whatsoever. Plus, I needed to make sure Cloud would be okay.

50.

49.

Zack stood his ground. He had wiped out half of the legion already. He cast Thundaga on one of the helicopters, causing it to crash, taking out twenty troopers with it.

29.

He then proceeded to cast whatever magic he could on the troopers.

Fira.

Thundara.

20.

19.

And then, I noticed: Zack was slowing down. He was becoming tired, but he knew he didn't have the luxury of stopping. His life, and Cloud's, depended on it.

5.

4.

There was now only one helicopter, and three troopers left.

The helicopter flew away, and then began to turn a hundred and eighty degrees.

Zack, exhausted, but still determined, aimed his index finger at the pursuing helicopter.

He cast Thundaga.

A spark sputtered from his finger.

He was out of AP.

The helicopter opened fire, putting bullets into Zack's arms, legs, and his chest.

As the three troopers approached him, he raised his sword. He was still determined to fight.

And then, with a cry, Zack fell to the ground.

The first trooper to reach Zack wasted no time. He cocked his gun, pointed it at Zack's chest, and pulled the trigger.

I closed my eyes; I could no longer bear to watch.

"What do you want to do with him?" I heard the trooper say.

"Forget it," another one replied. "Just leave him."

Moments later, the troopers were gone, along with the helicopter.

Slowly, I opened my eyes.

Rain began to fall as I scanned the fallen Zack. There were bullet holes in his armor. There was blood in his mouth. Both his arms and his legs had gunshot wounds. He was struggling to breathe.

I knew he wouldn't live much longer.

Zack weakly turned his head, and realized that the troopers had been referring to Cloud; he had crawled to his side.

"Zack," Cloud began.

Zack grimaced; he was struggling to speak. The left side of his face was all bloodied, and he was trying to force himself to remain conscious.

_Now you finally start talking,_ I thought.

"For the...both of us..." Zack finally uttered.

"Both of us?" Cloud asked.

"That's right," Zack softly replied. "You're gonna...you're gonna..."

Summoning his strength, Zack pulled Cloud in, attempting to hug him good-bye, but instead ending up pressing his head against his bloodied chest.

"Live," Zack finished. "You'll be...my living legacy."

Zack's arm then fell to the ground.

Cloud solemnly raised his now-blood-stained head.

Zack's eyes fluttered, indicating that he was still alive.

And, with his last ounce of strength, Zack gripped his buster sword, and slowly handed it to his friend.

"My honor, my dreams," uttered Zack, "they're yours now."

"I'm your living legacy," said Cloud as he accepted the sword.

Smiling, Zack slowly closed his eyes.

And his chest rose no more.

Cloud, realizing what had just been lost, began to cry, and let out a scream in his grief.

And then, the rain stopped.

"Embrace your dreams," Cloud remembered Zack saying. "If you want to be a hero, you need to have dreams."

"Thank you," Cloud said to the fallen Zack. "I won't forget."

He slowly stood up.

"Good night, Zack," Cloud said before turning towards Midgar and began to walk towards his destination.

Zack, from his point of view, perceived Angeal descending from a light above.

_That girl,_ he thought, _she said that the sky frightened her. But that looks so...liberating._

Angeal drew closer. He was smiling, and Zack smiled back.

_Those wings...I want them too._

Zack raised his hand, and Angeal gently clutched it.

Moments later, Zack no longer felt the ground below him. He was ascending. The pain was fading away. Joy was flowing through him instead.

Up. Up. Up he went.

_It feels...good._

He then thought of Cloud.

_If you see Aerith, say hi for me._

Higher and higher.

A cloud was approaching. Zack found it welcoming. It drew closer and closer, and before he knew it, he passed through.

Angeal gently set Zack down on the cloud, and smiled at him.

Zack could feel that the cloud had a solid surface. The pain was gone. His wounds were gone. Even his old scars were gone.

"Where am I?" Zack asked.

"You're in Heaven," Angeal replied. "Of course."

Zack looked around. There was a cloudy field as far as the eye could see.

"Wow," he said.

"So I'm sure you must have some questions," Angeal began. "After all, this is where we spend eternity."

Zack didn't know how his first question came to mind, but he blurted it out anyway.

"Is there sex in Heaven?" he asked.

"That was your first question?" Angeal replied in surprise.

"It was the first thing that came to mind," Zack admitted sheepishly.

"Yes," Angeal finally answered. "There is sex in Heaven. Anything else?"

Zack looked around. All he saw was endless, cloudy fields.

"Where's my grandma?" he asked. "Where's Gehrig?" He paused, and scanned the area once more. "Where's the Big Guy?"

"Whoa!" Angeal exclaimed. "Slow down there. I've never even told you what else is allowed here."

"What's that?" Zack asked.

"Materia!" Angeal replied with a grin as he suddenly cast Lightning on Zack.

"Ow!" Zack exclaimed. "So there'a pain here?"

"Don't be a spoilsport!" laughed Angeal before casting Lightning again, striking Zack.

"Seriously!" Zack exclaimed. "Cut it out!"

"Come on, Zack," Angeal implored. "You can make it." He then cast Lightning again.

"Stop! Please!" Zack pleaded.

"Come on, Zack!" Angeal laughed as he zapped him again.

After that final jolt, he no longer saw Angeal. He no longer saw any cloudy fields. Instead, he saw Cissnei bearing down on him, with defibrillator electrodes in her hands. Once again, he felt the ground. Once again, he felt the pain. He was suddenly back in the living world.

"Come on, Zack!" she shouted for the third time as she charged the device once again.

"Hold on!" I commanded. "He's back!"

Cissnei looked Zack in the eyes.

So did I.

Zack coughed. His eyes fluttered.

He was alive! I couldn't believe my eyes.

"Y-you brought him back?!" I exclaimed.

"Not for long if we don't get him to the Spring," Cissnei warned.

"The Spring?" I asked.

"Let's get him on the chopper," Cissnei commanded. "I'll explain on the way."

She picked Zack up by his arms, and I picked him up by his feet. We carried him, gently but quickly, to the helicopter, and loaded him in the back.

"All right," Cissnei said. "Off to McDougal Island."

She turned to the cockpit, and prepared to embark.

"Don't you dare!" shouted an unpleasant voice.

We both turned to see a convertible pulling up to us. Scarlett and Heidegger we in the back.

"He's killed!" Heidegger shouted.

"No he's not!" Cissnei insisted. "I got his heart going again. But he'll die if I don't get him fixed up."

"Good," Scarlett said as she got out of the convertible and walked up to Cissnei. "Now, we're two steps away from a win-win situation. One, you give me the keys to that helicopter. Two, I don't fire you."

"What do you mean 'good?'" Cissnei demanded.

"Zack Fair knows something he shouldn't know," Scarlett explained.

"I'm sorry," Cissnei apologized, "but I can't let him die like that."

Scarlet grunted.

"This has gone too far," she declared. "I'm giving you one last chance. The keys, now!"

Cissnei suddenly smirked.

She didn't give her the keys.

Instead, she kneed Scarlet in the...um...beeeeeep.

Scarlet grabbed her crotch and fell to the ground.

Heidegger immediately got out of the car and ran over to the fallen Scarlet, who was growling and cursing on the ground.

Cissnei grinned.

Now was our chance.

"Scarlet," Cissnei began, "I quit."

With that, she ran back to the helicopter and climbed into the cockpit, slamming the door shut behind her. She then lifted the helicopter off the ground, and off we went.

"We have to get Zack squared away," Cissnei began as she set a course for McDougal Island. "But once that's done, you owe me a big hug for all that time apart. Got it, best friend?"

I nodded with a smile.

Basically, what had happened was this: Cissnei arrived by helicopter right after Zack's heart stopped beating. If figured there was no sense in remaining cloaked, so I de-cloaked and explained the whole situation to her.

Zack was damn lucky Cissnei knew how to use a defibrillator.

Now he had a fighting chance.

Quite a surprise, huh?

I'll bet you didn't see that coming.

MEANWHILE...

Cloud, meanwhile, had not only made it to Midgar, but had also traveled through the slums of Sectors Five and Six before arriving at the Sector Seven Station.

There, having not fully healed yet, collapsed.

He lay there, propped up against a lamppost for two hours before anyone bothered to talk to him.

"What's the matter?" asked the station master.

Cloud simply groaned.

"Poor kid," the station master sighed, and went off.

Another couple of hours went by.

Cloud continued to lay there, wondering where to go next. He had no companionship of any kind. He had nobody to welcome him anywhere. He had no home to go to.

And then, a ray of hope appeared at the entrance to the station.

I won't mention any names. Let's just say she was nineteen years old, wore a white crop tank and black mini-skirt, and was my own flesh and blood.

"Are you all right?" she asked.

Cloud scanned her for a moment. Then he recognized her.

"Tifa?" he asked as he rose to his feet.

And suddenly, he no longer felt despair. He felt as if he was at home.

"Tifa!" he exclaimed again.

She was confused at first. Then, she recognized him as well. And, suddenly, a wave of joy rushed through her as well.

"Oh, Cloud!" she exclaimed happily.

"That's right," he said. "I'm Cloud."

"Is it really you, Cloud?" she asked in amazement. "I never thought I'd find you here!"

"Yeah, it's been a while," he said.

Tifa badly wanted to hug him, but she knew he didn't like hugs.

And then, she noticed that he was ailing.

"What happened to you?" she asked. "You don't look well."

"Yeah?" he asked. "It's nothing. I'm okay."

Tifa turned around for a moment.

Unknown to her, he suddenly clutched his head, but he quickly stopped.

"How long has it been?" she asked.

"Five years," he replied.

_Five years?_ Tifa thought. _No, it's been seven. He must be delirious._

"What is it?" Cloud asked.

Tifa gave a warm, welcoming look.

"It's really been a long time," she said.

And then, Cloud collapsed to the ground.

"Cloud!" Tifa exclaimed as she ran to his aid.

Upon examining him, Tifa realized that he had passed out from exhaustion.

"It looks like you've been through a lot," she said. "But don't worry. I'll take care of you."

With that, Tifa picked up the exhausted Cloud, and carried him to his new home.


	63. The Island Gulag

Premonitions II: Crisis Core

Chapter 63: The Island Gulag

There was no time for any catching up; we needed to get Zack to McDougal Island before he died (for real) from his injuries. There were a lot of bullets inside him, and he was most certainly bleeding internally, but Cissnei insisted she knew someone who could save him.

We arrived at the McDougal Island within the hour. Cissnei landed the helicopter near a seemingly deserted house outside of the only town on the island.

"Stay put," she commanded as she undid her seat belt. "Skrug isn't that good with strangers...or even acquaintances. I'll let you know when it's safe."

She then opened the door and hopped out of the helicopter.

"When it's safe?" I asked myself aloud.

Cissnei ran up to the front door and quickly knocked.

A moment later, the door opened, and a man, bald and seemingly in his fifties, appeared with a rifle pointed at Cissnei.

"What do ye want?" he demanded. "Me finger's on the trigger!"

"The Spring," Cissnei replied calmly.

"Cissnei?" he inquired as he lowered the rifle. "Is that ye?"

"Skrug," she replied.

"Aye," he said. "It's ye. I dinnae forget when ye saved me from the bear when ye was a wee girl."

"Just a shuriken did the trick," Cissnei said. "Listen, we have a friend who could die within the hour if we don't help him."

"Aye," replied Skrug. "Let me have a look at him then."

"My best friend is here with me, too," Cissnei continued. "He's only here to help."

"Aye," repeated Skrug as he went to check the back of the helicopter. He examined Zack, and turned to Cissnei.

"It's not looking good," Skrug informed them. "He still has bullets in him, and he's bleeding inside."

"Can you save him?" Cissnei asked.

"Aye," Skrug replied. "If we hurry. Ye two carry him."

Cissnei grabbed Zack's arms and I grabbed his legs, and carried him down to Skrug's front door.

"Follow me," Skrug commanded. "Touch nothing."

Skrug led us into the kitchen and opened one of the doors. He led us down a flight of stairs to what I thought would be a basement. But when we got to the bottom of the stairs, I saw something I never expected to see: there was a pit full of green energy that had a diameter of a yard or so. Above was a set of chains that looked like they were for suspending a person above the pit. I could only describe the energy as...Lifestream.

At Skrug's instruction, Cissnei and I fastened Zack to the chains and suspended him above the pit.

Skrug then went upstairs. When he returned, he had what appeared to be a giant magnet in his hand.

"This is to get the bullets out. See that lever there?"

I nodded.

"As soon as I remove the bullets, I need ye to keep the path clear. I'm going to need to run so I can lower him in in time. He'll be bleeding rather badly."

Cissnei and I nodded in unison.

"Now, for the price, Skrug announced. "At'll be five hundred gil."

"You're charging us?!" Cissnei exclaimed.

"I cannae afford to do this for nothing!" Skrug insisted.

"I have a thousand gil note," I said.

"I'm not a bank!" Skrug shouted.

"It's all I have," I insisted. "Please take it."

Skrug sighed, marched up to me, and snatched the note. He then went back and picked up the magnet.

"Stand back," he commanded.

Cissnei and I stood back.

Skrug plugged the magnet in. Moments later, we both heard that magnetic sound, and saw the remaining bullets rip out of Zack. The blood began to gush and spray.

He was too weak to scream from the pain.

Skrug, wasting no time, ran to the lever and pulled it.

Zack plummeted down and disappeared into the pit.

He remained in there for a good ninety seconds before Skrug pulled him out. When he did, all of the bullet wounds were gone.

Skrug went over to Zack and checked his pulse.

"He's alive," he informed us.

Cissnei let out a sigh of relief.

"Is he out of the woods yet?" she asked.

"Aye," Skrug replied. "He'll need to rest a week or two to get his lost blood back, but he's not going to die."

"You did it," I complimented Cissnei.

"We did it," she corrected as she put her hand on my shoulder and smiled.

LATER...

Cissnei and I carried Zack back upstairs, outside, and gently loaded him onto the helicopter. He was still unconscious, but he was breathing normally again.

Once he was in the helicopter, Cissnei turned to me and smiled.

"Don't forget," she reminded me, "you owe me that hug."

And then, she threw her arms around me, and, of course, I hugged her back. Despite the situation, I was just as happy to see her again.

"I missed you so much!" she said happily.

"I missed you, too," I replied.

I looked down, and I noticed her feet were off the ground; I had lifted her without realizing it. So I quickly set her down again.

"You picked me up," she observed as she broke the hug.

"Sorry," I apologized.

"I didn't say I didn't like it," she said with a smile.

Just then, I noticed Skrug approaching me.

"Tobin, yer name is?" he asked.

"That's right," I replied.

"I cannae give ye five hundred back," he said. "But I can give ye this."

He then handed me a small device that looked like some sort of a pager. There was a large, noticeable button on it.

"If something happens to ye," Skrug explained, "press it. See that shuttle there yonder?"

I looked to see the shuttle; it was the most modern thing Skrug seemed to own. It was three times the size of the helicopter, and looked like it could go into space.

"Ye press the button," Skrug continued, "and the shuttle will come and get ye. As long as it reaches ye in time, you're safe."

"Thanks," I said.

Without responding, Skrug turned and walked off.

I stared at the pager in my hand. No doubt, I appreciated it, but I realized that it wasn't of much use. My adventures were over; I was no longer putting my ass at risk.

I still decided to keep it though.

Maybe someone I knew would need it more than I would.

LATER...

Cissnei and I found a place in Cosmo Canyon. It had a common area with a lounge and kitchen, and a bedroom on each side. It was just like our old place in Midgar. We were roomies again, like nothing had ever happened.

Well, not exactly. Cissnei no longer worked for the Shinra, so she took up a job as a waitress at a local restaurant. It might seem degrading, but she liked it a lot better than being a Turk.

Zack found an apartment just down the hall. He didn't have to work; he was declared dead, and the lives of members of SOLDIER are quite well insured. It was perfect timing, too; after Lazard's death, the SOLDIER program was terminated for good. As he was seen as a traitor, to say nothing of his reported four bastard children, Zack was denied any kind of memorial at Shinra.

Of course, he largely stayed hidden; he didn't want the Shinra to find him there, as they wanted him dead for knowing where the Island Gulag was. He was over once or twice a week. I spent a while trying to figure out how to reunite him with Aerith. I figured that meant it would need to explain to him that...prom situation.

LATER...

December 9, 0007

I made one effort to visit my cousin in Midgar. She had joined that group, AVALANCHE, and was hiding out in the Sector Seven slums. Of course, to the best of my knowledge, nobody else knew that, as their hideout was hidden below a bar.

So, one day, I made my way to her bar, and this little girl who couldn't be more than three or four answered the door for me.

"Are you over twenty-one?" she asked.

"You certainly aren't," I replied.

And then, Tifa, still wearing that crop-tank and mini-skirt, appeared behind her.

"Tobin!" she exclaimed as she hugged me. She then introduced me to the kid. "Marlene, this is my cousin, Tobin."

"Is he over twenty-one?" Marlene asked.

"I certainly am," I assured her.

"Come on in!" Tifa invited as she pointed to the bar.

I walked over there and took a seat.

Tifa walked behind the bar and handed me a beer.

"You're the bar tender?" I asked.

"Officially," she replied.

"But you're only twenty," I pointed out.

"Well," she laughed, "I'm not actually drinking anything!"

I took a sip of my beer.

"How's Cloud?" I asked. I was wondering how their relationship was going.

"He's good," she answered. "He's with Barret, Biggs, Wedge, and Jessie right now. They're on their way to blow up the Sector One Reactor."

"Why don't you tell him how you feel?" I suggested.

Tifa shook her head.

"I dunno," she said. "I just got my best friend back after seven years. I don't want to ruin anything."

I knew exactly what Cissnei would say in this situation. So I said it to my cousin.

"Snooze, you lose."

"I suppose you're right," she conceded as she lowered her head. "You'll never know who he could meet tonight."

"Look," I began, I'm assuming you're going for Reactor Number Two tomorrow?"

"Five," she corrected. "Two would be too obvious."

"Why don't you go with them?" I suggested as I took another sip.

"That would be a great idea," Tifa agreed. "But I've been trained in martial arts. And those Shinra troopers...well, they kind of use guns."

I nodded. I then reached into my pocket, and pulled out the pager. I handed it to her.

"Take this with you," I commanded.

"What is it?" Tifa asked me.

"If you're hurt badly and think you're mortally wounded, press the button," I explained. "A shuttle will come and take you to a place called McDougal Island. This guy there...Skrug...he's an asshole, but he'll do wonders."

Tifa shook her head.

"That's yours," she insisted.

"I don't need it," I insisted. "My adventures are over. Please take it."

She took it.

"I'll go put this somewhere safe," Tifa said.

She then went back to put the pager somewhere safe.

I heard the door behind me open, followed by footsteps approaching me. Moments later, another familiar face sat down next to me. It was Durham.

I might have said that the last chapter of Durham and I was over, but we didn't have the epilogue until that night.

"Hey, Tobin," she greeted.

"Hey, Durham," I greeted back without making eye contact.

I didn't want anything to do with her. I sipped my beer, hoping she would go away.

Just then, Tifa returned.

"Hey there!" she greeted.

"Oh," I said, "Tifa, Durham. Durham, Tifa. My cousin."

The smile faded from Tifa's face.

"_That_ Durham?"

I nodded.

Tifa sighed. She knew all about that situation, and, being protective of me, was not too happy about it.

"I'll serve you," she warned, "but I'll never forgive you for breaking my cousin's heart."

"I'm not thirsty," Durham said. "I just wanted to talk to Tobin.

Tifa cracked her knuckles.

"Hurt him in any way, and you'll end up with more trouble than it's worth."

She then went to clean a few glasses.

It felt good to know she always had my back.

"You're looking well," I said sarcastically to Durham without looking at her.

"I know you must hate me," she began. "I just wanted you to know that I've become a very sad person. I've lost some people who were important to me."

"Me, too," I replied as I took another drink, still not making eye contact with her.

"I've lost Croydon," she continued. "He divorced me two years ago."

I sighed.

"You got married young and on short notice," I replied. "What did you think was going to happen?"

"Getting married down there was a mistake," she moped.

"We're you drunk?" I sarcastically asked.

Durham shook her head.

"No, we were having fun."

"I can have fun without eloping," I said.

"I'm so alone," Durham continued.

"Didn't you have any kids?" I asked, resisting the urge to leave at this point.

"His new wife says she wants to adopt our son," she replied. "I'll never see him again!"

"You made your bed," I replied as I finished my beer. "Sleep in it."

I got up, left the bar, and took the elevator to the upper plate. When I got a few yards away, the elevator arrived again.

Durham stepped out.

"What do you want now?" I sighed.

"To tell you how sorry I am," she replied.

I sighed.

"If I tell you something, will you quit bothering me?" I proposed.

"Okay," Durham replied in a broken voice.

"Call Croydon and tell him to fuck off," I commanded. "His new wife can't adopt your son against your wishes. Call him right now and tell him it's not happening. You'll feel a lot better after that."

Durham nodded as she pulled out her phone.

"See?" I said. "That wasn't so bad."

"Fuck," muttered Durham suddenly. "My phone's not working."

"Yeah, right," I dismissed before glancing at my own. "Neither is mine," I noticed aloud.

I tried to call Tifa, but it failed. I tried to call Cissnei, but their failed, too.

"Tobin," Durham began in an ominous tone of voice, "look up!"

As I looked up, I could see a distortion in the city sky.

And as we watched, a vortex seemed to form in the distortion.

And as we continued to watch, a spherical vessel emerged from the vortex. It had spikes coming out of all sides.

"What the fuck is that thing?!" Durham exclaimed in fright.

I recognized it right away.

"It's the Urchin," I replied. "It's a Shinra weapon. But...isn't it supposed to be at the bottom of the ocean near Junon?"

The Urchin hovered directly over us as the vortex disappeared and the distortion dissipated.

Moments later, an elevated platform began to descend from the Urchin until it reached our level. On it stood a young woman in her early twenties, with red-dyed hair and in a red dress.

"I am Bestla," she greeted.

It was the same name as Scarlet's daughter. And, I'll be damned, she looked like an older version of her.

"I'm Tobin," I replied. "And this is Durham."

"What's the date?" she asked.

"December the ninth," I replied.

"What year?" Bestla continued.

It was a strange question, but I felt compelled to answer it anyway.

"It's 0007," I responded.

"Is she on crack?" Durham sarcastically asked.

Now, mind you, if it can't be any more obvious, this is the same Bestla who dropped that orb on Junon and turned it to dust a few weeks later. Needless to say, it was not a smart thing to say to such a dangerous woman.

"I would be a little more respectful if I were you," Bestla warned. "I'm going to be a goddess in a few weeks."

"A goddess?!" Durham cackled. "You look more like a hooker! Why don't you go back to the Honey Bee Inn!"

In response, Bestla took out what appeared to be some kind of blaster and zapped Durham with some kind of blue energy, but, at first, it looked like it did nothing.

Bestla then turned to me.

"Behave yourself," she warned.

With that, the platform quickly elevated and disappeared into the Urchin.

"What the hell just happened?" Durham demanded.

And then, she began to feel it.

"Why am I so dry all of a sudden?"

Those turned out to be Durham's last words.

Moments later, her whole body, along with her clothes, turned a light brown. Then, she crumbled away. A pile of dust was all that remained of Durham.

I stood there for an hour, trying to take in what had just happened. Granted, she had screwed me over, but I will admit I felt a little sorry for her.

Finally, I heard an explosion.

I turned just in time to see the Sector One Reactor go up in smoke.

That was my cue to get out of Midgar.

A FEW DAYS LATER...

One evening, I just happened to peek out my window, and I saw the damndest thing: Cloud, Tifa, Barret, Aerith, this strange-looking quadruped, Yuffie, and, strangely enough, Cait Sith were sitting around Cosmo Candle.

Their voices were muffled, and I couldn't make out what they were saying, but that didn't matter. What stood out was that Aerith was sitting next to Cloud, kind of closely.

_Don't tell me they're a couple,_ I thought.

She certainly wasn't dressing sexy for him. She was wearing a pink dress with a red jacket; I have a dead grandmother who would wear something like that. But she was sitting next to him. I needed more information.

LATER THAT NIGHT...

I'm not usually a stalker, but this was something I had to be sure of. I was really hoping Cloud and Tifa would end up together. Deep down, I kind of wanted Aerith and Zack back together, too. So I cloaked myself and peeked through the keyhole.

Cloud was sitting on the bed, shirtless and in pajama bottoms. Aerith was wearing a white tank top and black pajama pants.

They were definitely a couple. How that happened was beyond me, but it happened.

Poor Tifa.

Poor Zack.

"Hey, Cloud," she began. "Were you uncomfortable today?"

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"When you learned about my old boyfriend," she clarified. "Be honest, it bothered you, didn't it?"

"Not really," Cloud assured her. "We all have our yesterdays.

"It was five years ago," Aerith continued. "But it put something on my mind."

"What's that?" he asked.

She gave him a sincere look and took his hand in hers.

"I don't want to drive you away," she said. "I...I think I drove him away. I wanted to get married right out of high school, and I think it scared him off."

She then gave a sad look, and lowered her head.

Cloud gently put his hand under her chin, and lifted her head up.

"You won't drive me away," he assured her.

"Really?" she asked hopefully.

"Really," he answered. "We're not teenagers anymore, are we?"

"No," she giggled as she put her hands on his face and kissed him. She then sat back and smiled.

"Cloud," Aerith continued, "I really like you."

He smiled back at her.

"And I'm starting to...more than like you."

"Me too," he said.

Smiling, Aerith hugged him tightly.

"Can I sleep in your arms tonight?" she requested. "Spooning?"

"You bet!" he replied happily.

That was the most I could take. Disappointed, I went home.

THE NEXT MORNING...

Cloaked again, I stopped by the local restaurant to see Cloud and Aerith having breakfast together.

"You think Red XIII will change his mind?" Aerith asked.

"I think he will," Cloud replied. "He's the noblest one of us all. He wouldn't give up on the Planet."

Aerith smiled, but remained silent.

"There's something else, isn't there?" Cloud asked.

"Not about Red XIII," she answered. "That said..."

"So there is something else," he inferred.

Aerith smiled at him.

"I really liked waking up next to you the past couple of days," she replied. "Both with and without my pants on."

_Great,_ I thought. _They're having sex already._

"So I was wondering," she continued, "after all this is over, if you'd like to get an apartment together."

"I would like that," Cloud agreed. "It would be nice to come home to someone."

Cloud and Aerith finished their breakfast, paid the bill, and walked hand-in-hand out of the restaurant.

I stood there, alone and cloaked, for several minutes.

I was beyond disappointed.

Tifa deserved better.

It was at that moment that I began to lose faith in life.

SOME TIME LATER...

So, finally, comes the part I know you've been waiting for: the location of the Island Gulag.

I finally made the decision to go to the Island Gulag, and Zack decided to go with me. He knew where it was, and that's where we would go down fighting.

Why, you ask? Why would we voluntarily go to our deaths like that? Just take one look at the sky. We've all been given a few weeks or less to live. Meteor will strike; the rocket failed. What will happen is one of two things. One, there will be a fire consuming the entire planet, and we will all be burned alive. Two, we'll get a cloud of dust, again consuming the entire planet. The sun will be blocked out, and all the plants, and eventually animals, will die. And we will starve to death.

Zack and I are unwilling to live through either. We are willing to shut down one of the most disgusting places on the Planet, or, more likely, die trying.

So tomorrow, that's where we'll go.

Once Cissnei found out what we were doing, she naturally became troubled. But my mind was made up and I wouldn't let anything get in my way.

"Tobin, please," Cissnei pleaded earlier today. "This is crazy."

"It's a crazy time," I replied.

"I'm not okay with this!" she protested. "You can't go!"

"Why's that?" I asked, even though I knew the obvious answer.

"Because I don't want to lose you!" Cissnei replied. "You're my best friend, and I don't want you to get killed!"

That was the one thing about this that I do feel terrible about. This is the most upset I've ever seen Cissnei. It was worse than when we said our good-byes at Xing.

"That's not my choice," I reminded her. "Meteor's going to fall. It's going to kill everyone. At least Zack and I can go out as heroes."

"But what if something happened," Cissnei retorted, "and Meteor didn't fall?"

"Not possible," I dismissed. "If the rocket can't destroy it, nothing can."

Cissnei looked me in the eyes. Hers were wet, and it looked like she was going to cry. But, being Cissnei, she didn't.

"Listen," I continued. "I've written a journal about my life for the past seven years. If ten days go by and you don't hear from me, hide it in the abandoned reactor. The one outside Gongaga."

"Now, why would I do that?" the upset Cissnei asked. "I finally have a best friend who understands everything, and he's foolishly going to his death!"

"Because," I replied, "if anything or anyone actually does survive, or come here from another world, they'll know who we were."

Cissnei gave me a look. It looked like she was thinking of what to say next. It took her a while, as if she really had to think it through

Then she said it.

"I'll do it under one condition," Cissnei finally informed me.

"What's that?" I asked.

She looked me in the eyes.

I could never believe what she said next.

"If you come back from this alive...we have to get married!"

I was astounded when I heard that. I had a hard time telling whether she was joking or not. We never went on another "date" after her birthday at Gold Saucer; we really went back to being platonic. One thing was for certain: she was trying to get me not to go.

Yes, I figured that's why she said it. It's not something I was ready to do, and she figured it was a wild card to talk me out of it going. But my mind was made up already.

So, of course, I had to answer that. But I knew I wasn't coming back, so there was no harm in it.

"Deal," I agreed.

I have, at this point, nothing more to say. After entrusting this journal to what's left of the Gongaga reactor, Zack and I are going to take a motorboat to latitude four north, longitude seventy-one west. That's the location of the Island Gulag.

I'm not giving you these coordinates to come and look for us. We're already dead, I'm sure of it. Avoid that place at all costs, unless you want to go out with a fight. I imagine it'll be one hell of a fight, too. Zack and I are arguing over who will survive the longest.

And now, to sign off for the final time.

It's now the year 0008.

I'm twenty-two. Zack is twenty-four. Cissnei is twenty-five. Cloud is twenty-one. Tifa is twenty. Aerith is twenty-two. Gehrig would have been twenty-three.

AND HERE, THE JOURNAL ENDS


	64. Fixed

Premonitions II: Crisis Core

Chapter 64: Fixed

Friday, February 1, 0008

One Day Until the Wedding

MEANWHILE, BACK IN THE PRESENT...

The rest of her strength exhausted, Tifa dropped the journal to her side. She knew what she needed to know now. She knew where the Island Gulag was. She would go there, rescue her father, and bring him home. And then, she would marry her best friend.

But, of course, that would be if she survived long enough. She was well aware that she was still bleeding, both inside and out. The pain from her injuries was subsiding, but she knew it was because of the blood loss. She had no idea of how close she was, or how much time she had left. All she could do was wait, and hope for the best.

She had felt herself getting weaker as she read the journal. By now, she could no longer lift any of her broken arms or legs. She could no longer lift her head, either. She could still feel blood trickle from her face, and she wondered how much she had left in her body.

And then, she felt her life begin to flash before her eyes. It included her childhood, adolescence, and the little adulthood she had, along with her former life in the old timeline that no longer existed. She remembered the horrid things, like her mother driving to her death off the road, or herself dying and turning to dust in the old timeline. She also remembered the happy moments, like when she and Cloud admitted their love for each other that night on the bridge of the Highwind.

But her favorite moment was when she was wearing that purple dress, getting down on one knee and proposing to the man she loved more than life itself.

But now, she was dying. Yesha had broken every limb in her body. She would certainly be unable to walk down the aisle in such a condition, assuming she even survived, which was becoming less and less likely. She had no idea how she could possibly be saved, given her injuries, but it sounded like her cousin had had success with a similar situation of some sort. Time, however, was running out.

And then, she felt the shuttle land.

A few moments later, the shuttle door opened, and a bald man in his fifties entered.

"Who are you?" he demanded. "What do you want?"

Tifa was nearly dead at this point. She could barely speak.

"Help...me," she weakly pleaded.

The man examined her failing body. He then spotted the pager in her hand.

"Where did you get this?" he demanded.

"To...bin," she struggled to reply. "Cou...sin."

"Is Tobin your cousin?"

Tifa weakly nodded.

"Is your cousin dead, then?"

She weakly nodded again.

"I figure he be dead," the man continued. "But I see he gave ye his lifeline. My name's Skrug. Ye presses the button, I'm going to try and save ye."

He examined her again, noticing her broken bones and loss of blood.

"I'll do what I can," Skrug continued. "First, I need your blood type."

"B...positive," Tifa uttered weakly.

"You be in luck," Skrug announced. "I have me a bag o' B positive. It'll keep ye 'live while I set your bones!"

He then wheeled the gurney out of the shuttle and into his house. He then wheeled Tifa down a flight of steps into the basement, giving her a bumpy ride. The pain was unbearable.

He then went to a closet and took out a bag of blood and a needle. Tifa was so swollen that it took him a while to find a vein. When he did, he inserted the needle.

Tifa slowly felt life coming back into her.

Once the bag was empty, Skrug immediately got to work setting Tifa's broken bones. He started with her arms, which were painful (for her) to set. He then moved to her legs, which were more painful to set. He moved to her broken feet, which were even more painful to set than her legs. And then, the worst of all came when he set her jaw.

After all of her bones were set, Skrug fastened Tifa to a set of chains, and suspended her over a pit.

Looking down, Tifa could see that the pit had a green glow.

It was Lifestream.

"Hold your breath," Skrug commanded as he made his way over to a lever. "You'll be down there for a minute and a half."

Then, without further warning, Skrug threw the lever.

Tifa plummeted into the Lifestream, jerking to a stop three yards in. Although her bones were set, the pain was still extreme. Only this time, as her jaw was set, she was able to wail.

Looking down, there was endless green as far as her eyes could see. It was completely different from the time she and Cloud were in there, fixing his soul.

And then, the pain suddenly began to lessen. She felt her bones, and scars, heal. She was able to move her arms and legs without any pain, and was able to open and close her mouth with the greatest of ease.

And then, she was yanked up to the surface again.

Skrug unfastened her, and allowed her to step onto the floor.

It was like she was never beaten.

She was healed.

MINUTES LATER...

Tifa stepped outside to see a familiar face.

Alicia Reynolds-or Cissnei, as she was mainly known-was standing there. Behind her was a helicopter that was apparently still in her possession.

"I had a feeling you might come here," Tifa said.

"You okay?" Cissnei asked.

"I am now," Tifa replied.

"You used the Spring?" Cissnei asked.

"I had to," Tifa answered. "Karnak ambushed me. Yesha had all my limbs broken. I would've bled to death if I didn't have the pager."

"I never though that the journal would prove so dangerous," Cissnei observed. "You obviously found it."

"Right before I was beaten, yes," Tifa confirmed.

"Does it reveal where the Island Gulag is?" Cissnei naturally asked.

Tifa nodded.

"It revealed a lot about the past seven years," she replied. "He seemed mostly accurate. There were a few exaggerations here and a few embellishments there, but mostly he told the truth."

And then, it hit her. Tifa's eyes began to well up with tears.

"And now he's gone," she continued as she wiped one of her tears from her face.

Cissnei hugged her.

"I'm sorry," Tifa apologized. "He was my cousin, but the journal revealed how much he meant to you, too."

"If I could cry," Cissnei said, "I would. But I'm here for you now."

"Maybe I can cry for both of us!" Tifa laughed through her tears.

Cissnei, by the way, was still as filthy as she had been when Tifa and Cloud met her earlier, but neither girl cared. They both had what they lost on their minds.

"Listen," Tifa began, "I know where the Island Gulag is now. Why don't you take the journal. That way...you'll always have a part of Tobin with you."

"Tifa," Cissnei replied, "I couldn't."

"I insist," Tifa pressed.

Defeated, Cissnei accepted the journal.

"Thank you," she said.

Cissnei then reached into her jeans pocket, pulled out a folded piece of paper, and handed it to Tifa.

Tifa slowly opened it.

It read: "61882"

"The Shinra master code," Cissnei informed her. "I don't know if it still works over there. But if it does...you're chances of coming back might improve."

1:00 a.m.

It was one in the morning when Tifa finally returned to Nibelheim. It was now time for what she had been looking forward to the most that night: seeing Cloud again.

Cissnei landed the helicopter next to the well, allowing Tifa an easy walk home. She had wanted to get her home as quickly as possible; there was no way to tell whether Karnak was still pursuing her.

"Thanks for getting me home, Tifa said with a smile.

"No problem," Cissnei replied. "See you Saturday. You'll be such a beautiful bride."

The two friends hugged, and Tifa climbed out of the helicopter, making her way straight to her front door.

No doubt, by now Cloud would have surely awoken from the sleep she had put him in. She was expecting him to be furious, but there was no avoiding it.

She turned the knob, opened the door, and entered her home.

"Where the hell have you been?!" Cloud demanded in a nervous voice.

He was standing by the stairs, looking like he had been pacing for a while.

Tifa looked her fiancé in the eyes. She was well aware she had some explaining to do.

"Listen," she began, "I know you're going to be mad again, but-"

"You went and got that journal, didn't you?" Cloud interjected.

"I got it," Tifa replied, "and I learned a lot from it."

Cloud gave her one of those "I'm not stupid" smiles.

"I knew you hadn't really given up on finding your dad," he said. "Did you find out where the Island Gulag is?"

"Four north and seventy-one west," Tifa replied.

And then, tears started forming in her chestnut eyes.

Cloud immediately placed his hands on her shoulders.

"Cloud," she continued, "my cousin Tobin is dead."

"Tifa," he said gently, "I'm so sorry."

"He had so much to live for," she sobbed as she wrapped her arms around Cloud and buried her head in his shoulder.

Cloud held her close and rocked her gently.

She soon gathered herself.

"There's more," said Tifa. "Can we sit down?"

Cloud nodded and led her over to the couch.

"There's something else I learned from the journal that I think you should know."

"What's that?" he asked.

"Zack wasn't killed in that ambush," Tifa replied. "He arrested for sure, but Alicia saved him."

"She saved him?"

Tifa nodded.

"If Zack survived," Cloud asked, "why is it that, two years into the future, we found him in the Lifestream? During the Geostigma Crisis?"

"My guess is he died at the Gulag," Tifa replied. "Along with Tobin."

And then, Tifa began to cry again.

Cloud pulled her in and kissed her.

"I really love you, Cloud," Tifa sobbed. "You forgive me for every little shenanigan I pull off."

"Well," he said, "now that we know where the Island Gulag is, all that's left is to go there and get your dad."

"We can't get there without a speed boat," Tifa replied. "Which we don't have."

"We'll work on that," Cloud assured her.

Tifa nodded.

"Tomorrow," she said. "We both need our rest."

Cloud nodded in agreement.

"I'll catch up with you," Tifa said.

Cloud nodded again, stood up, and went upstairs.

Tifa sat for a moment before getting up herself. But, instead of walking upstairs, she went to the patio door and stepped out.

Prior to reading the journal, she had forgotten how she used to talk to her mother.

"Mom?" she softly began as she slowly gazed at the sky. "I know...I haven't talked to you for a while, but...is dad still alive? And if he is...can I save him?"

There was no answer, as usual.

Tifa then lowered her head, until she was staring at the pool. Beyond that were the apple trees. Beyond that was the tall grass that signaled the boundary of their backyard, and of Nibelheim.

She then realized that Karnak could be hiding in that grass.

She quickly turned around, went back in, and closed and locked the patio door. She then went upstairs, went into the bathroom, and changed into her pajamas.

"Are you decent?" she called towards the bedroom door.

"Yeah!" Cloud replied.

Tifa then entered the bedroom, turned out the light, and climbed into bed. She wrapped her arms around Cloud and held him close.

Earlier, she thought she would never get to hold him again.

MEANWHILE...

Cissnei sat alone on the couch in her Cosmo Canyon apartment, gently cradling the journal her best friend had written.

On one shelf in the room, there was a memorial shrine to Tobin that she had set up. There was a picture of him surrounded by candles that were constantly lit. It was always painful for her to look at, but she needed to honor him in some way.

"Oh, Tobin," Cissnei said in a broken voice, "I'm so sorry I couldn't have done more."

She then held the journal close to her heart; it was all of Tobin she had left.

Here eyes were wet.

But a tear did not form.


	65. Preparations

Premonitions II: Crisis Core

Chapter 65: Preparations

10:00 a.m.

Tifa sat across from Cloud at the diner after breakfast. She was quiet for most of the time, and it was reasonable. She knew where her father was now. She knew both the location and the coordinates. All she needed was a means of getting there.

She then checked her emails on her phone, and suddenly started to laugh.

"What's so funny?" Cloud asked.

"An email I got from Shera," she laughed. "About how the human body was first built."

"Go on," he requested.

"At first all the body parts said they wanted to be the boss. The feet said they should be the boss because they carry the rest of the body. Then the lungs said they should be the boss because they breathe. The heart said it should be the boss because it pumps blood. Then, finally, the brain said it should be the boss because it controls everything else in the body. So all the body parts agreed but one: the anus, who said it should be the boss. Everyone laughed and made the brain the boss anyway. So the anus went on strike and blocked up the body. Eventually, all the body parts couldn't take it anymore, so they gave in and let the anus be the boss. So all the body parts worked all day while the anus just sat there and passed out the shit. The moral of that story is that it doesn't take brains to be the boss, any asshole will do!"

Cloud and Tifa began to laugh hysterically in unison. It was something they both needed, as it had been one crazy time. It was hard to believe that one of them almost died the previous night.

Gradually, Tifa's laughter subsided. She checked her cell phone again. She then gave Cloud a melancholy look.

"Everything in Costa del Sol is booked," she said sadly. "And with Junon destroyed, it's the only coastal town in the world."

"We'll keep looking," he assured her. "I know they'll be another way."

Anything Cloud said made Tifa feel slightly better, but it did not change the reality of the situation.

"This has officially become one long week of hell," she sighed.

They paid the bill and walked, hand in hand, back to the house. After the previous night, Tifa wanted to spend as much time with her man as possible. When they got inside, she took a look outside the patio, and gasped.

"What's wrong?" Cloud asked as he ran to her side.

Tifa seemed surprised, but not upset.

"Look!" she exclaimed.

Cloud took a look into the backyard.

The arch, under which they would take their wedding vows, had been set up. So had the chairs, neatly and facing the arch.

Reality of the next day was sinking in. She would be going from a Miss to a Mrs. in no time at all. The day she had been secretly hoping for, ever since she had been reunited with Cloud at the Sector Seven Station, was almost there.

"We'll be married under there tomorrow," Tifa said as she took Cloud's hand, tears threatening her beautiful chestnut eyes.

And then, both of them spotted someone in the backyard.

It was Elena, who seemed to have set everything up while they were out to breakfast.

And then, she spotted them. She had a garment bag in her hand as she ran to the patio.

"Sorry!" she apologized as Cloud let her in. "I was hoping I'd finish everything before you came home!"

"Elena," replied the surprised Tifa as a tear escaped. "No need to apologize! Did you do all this yourself?"

"Well," Elena answered, "Tseng helped."

"Thank you!" Tifa tearfully said.

Despite their history, she was happy it was in the past. She felt truly blessed to have a friend like Elena.

"I delivered the dresses to all the girls," Elena continued. "Except one." She then flaunted the garment bag.

Tifa felt her heart race.

"Is...is that..."

"Yes," replied Elena with a smile. "It's your wedding dress."

Tifa simply wanted to stand there and cry tears of joy and bliss. She was getting married. More and more reality of that was setting in.

Elena then turned to Cloud. There were still a couple of loose ends on her mind.

"I need a few minutes of girl time," she requested.

"No problem," Cloud replied.

Tifa led Elena upstairs to what used to be the master bedroom of Tifa's old house, where they hid the wedding dress in the closet.

"He'll just need to stay out of there," Elena warned.

"He wouldn't peek anyway," Tifa assured her.

It was then that Tifa noticed that Elena had a smaller bag in her hand; the garment bag had been previously concealing it.

"Okay," Elena began, "I really need to ask you something. Please don't take it the wrong way."

"Go ahead," Tifa permitted, wondering what the question was.

"You still plan on surprising Cloud in the hot tub wearing only your bikini top?" Elena asked.

"Yes," replied Tifa with a smile.

Elena blushed slightly.

"So, then..."

"Go ahead," Tifa assured her. "If there's a way to make it more special, I'm all ears."

"Do you shave?" Elena then asked, blushing slightly more. "You know, down there?"

Tifa shook her head.

"I got you something," Elena announced as she handed Tifa the bag.

Tifa slowly reached into the bag, and gasped as she pulled out the contents.

"A bikini wax kit?" she asked.

"Well," Elena said, "I respect your privacy wishes, so..."

"A do-it-yourself bikini wax kit?" Tifa asked once she double checked the box.

"Well, you want your lady parts to look good for Cloud, don't you?"

"I suppose," Tifa admitted. "But...is it painful?"

"Oh yeah," Elena replied.

Tifa briefly hesitated. She knew Cloud wouldn't judge her about how she looked, but still, she wanted to be...sexy.

"You know what?" she said. "I'll try it right now."

"Right now?!" Elena asked in surprise.

"I do want the pain to be gone by tomorrow," Tifa justified.

"Good point," agreed Elena.

Deciding to give Tifa some privacy, Elena went back downstairs.

"Is she okay?" Cloud asked when Elena reached the parlor.

"Just fine," Elena assured.

She then stood there innocently, waiting for it to start.

Cloud stood there, perplexed at what Elena could possibly know that he did not.

"Aarrrrrgh!" Tifa suddenly shouted from upstairs.

Elena blushed again.

"You might want to ignore that," she giggled.

Cloud stood awkwardly before the silence was interrupted again.

"Aaarrrrgh! Shit!" they heard Tifa's voice yell.

"What's going on up there?" Cloud asked.

"You'll find out tomorrow night," Elena replied. She then looked at the stairs. "One more should do it."

"Aaarrrrgh! Dammit, Elena!" Tifa exclaimed in pain.

Elena began to laugh hysterically.

A couple of minutes later, Tifa came down the stairs, one step at a time, and giving Elena the evil eye.

"You'll thank me for this," Elena assured her. "Trust me."

MEANWHILE...

Karnak, Anez, Yesha, and Lechar sat at the blue, square table in the room with cerulean walls and dark and light blue tiles.

"It seems that we've failed," Karnak began. "Tifa Lockheart is alive and well."

"But I broke all her limbs!" Yesha protested. "You were there! You saw it!"

"I did indeed," Karnak concurred, "and I blame myself. I should've thrown my foot on her neck and finished the job. But I wanted her to suffer. I should have at least stayed until she bled out."

"How did she survive and heal so quickly?" Lechar asked. "It doesn't make any sense."

"God only knows," Karnak replied. "It looks like I grossly underestimated her."

"It's only a matter of time before she comes to this Island," Lechar said. "She could expose us."

"Not to worry," Karnak said. "I still have one last trick up my sleeve. "This time, we won't be taking any more chances."

"Let's hear it," Yesha said.

"She's tested me long enough," Karnak said. "When she does arrive here, capture her, and take her to her father. Then, execute him before her very eyes. Wait for a few moments while she grieves, but don't let her out of your sight. Then, kill her as well."

Lechar, Yesha, and Anez nodded in unison.

"Anus," continued Karnak as he chuckled slightly, "she'll probably come in on the bottom floor. That's your territory. You think you can capture her?"

"That's Anez," Anez replied in an annoyed tone of voice, "and yes."

SOMEWHERE ELSE...

Tifa continued to stare out the patio at the altar that Elena ad set up for them. She would blink constantly, wondering if it was real, but, every time she did so, it would remain. Another wave of emotion ran through her as she realized that, in less than twenty-four hours, Cloud would become her husband in that spot, and the rest of their lives would then begin.

She then went over to the sofa and joined Cloud, who was already sitting there. She kissed him, and rested her head against his shoulder.

"One more day," she said happily. "Can you believe it?"

Cloud kissed the top of her head in response.

Tifa then sat up. There had been something she had wanted to tell him.

"You know," she began, "I learned something in the journal that I think you should know."

"What's that?" Cloud asked.

"You know how you were semi-conscious after you were rescued from the tube?"

He nodded.

"I barely remember it, but yes."

"Cloud," she began as she gently stroked his back, "Zack really risked his life for you. I mean, he carried you for miles and fought off a lot of monsters to keep you safe." She paused. "You wouldn't be here if it wasn't for him."

And then, a knock sounded the front door.

"That would be Elena again," Tifa said as she stood up, made her way over to the door, and answered it.

But it was not Elena.

"Ah, Tifa," greeted the Continental Governor. "I'm relieved to see you're alright."

Tifa gave her an understandably suspicious look.

"I can assure you," the Continental Governor continued, "that Victor Karnak is not with me. I have nothing to do with what he's doing. I didn't authorize that violent attempt on your life last night. He's currently suspended without pay."

Tifa was silent. She was unsure whether to trust her. And then, she realized the obligatory reason she was there.

"But, in the meantime," the Continental Governor continued, "I've only come to rehearse the wedding."

Tifa felt somewhat relieved. As questionable as Bismarck's ethics were, it was obvious that she was only there to help.

"Come on in," Tifa invited.

"A see you've changed your wardrobe," the Continental Governor observed. "Cute jeans, by the way."

"Thanks," Tifa said as she led her to the patio.

MEANWHILE...

"No way!" laughed Yuffie. "We have so much in common, Shiko!"

An hour earlier, Yuffie had met Shiko at the tea house. He stood six feet tall and seemed really grown up. So Yuffie invited him to sit down with her, and the rest wrote itself.

"So," Yuffie continued, ready to set the trap, "I have a wedding to go to tomorrow. How would you like to be my date."

"Sure!" Shiko replied happily.

"Great!" Yuffie said with a smile. "It's in a backyard, but there's going to be a D. J., a dance floor, and a bar. But you're not over twenty-one, are you?"

"No way!" Shiko laughed as he shook his head. "I'm not even thirteen yet."

The smile immediately vanished from Yuffie's face.

"Wait a minute," she said in an upset tone of voice. "You're twelve?"

Shiko nodded; still smiling.

"But you're so tall!" Yuffie exclaimed in disbelief.

"I know," Shiko replied. "I grew fast."

Moments later, the humiliated Yuffie ran out of the tea house. She did not stop until she got inside her house and locked the door behind her.

She sighed and placed her hand to her head, wondering how she could have been so stupid. She then looked up at the bridesmaid dress that was hanging from the closet door. She had less than twenty-four hours.

"There is one other person I could try," she said to herself.

She then pulled out her cell phone and went through her contacts, stopping at and pressing one she had not used in a while: Tobin.

Tobin's phone rang fourteen times before Yuffie, who was unaware of his fate, finally gave up.

She sighed.

"I guess Yuffie Kisaragi's going to this wedding alone."

SOMEWHERE ELSE...

"And when I say 'you may kiss the bride,'" continued the Continental Governor, "well, that's pretty self-explanatory."

Both Cloud and Tifa nodded in unison.

"And then, I present the new Mr. and Mrs., you walk the aisle together, go for pictures, and the reception starts," the Continental Governor finished. "Any questions?"

"Not really," Cloud replied.

"I'm good," Tifa added.

"Oh," continued the Continental Governor. "I almost forgot. Who's your maid of honor? I need to know the witnesses."

"Elena," Tifa replied.

"Last name?" asked Bismarck.

Tifa blushed.

"I actually don't know," she replied. "She used to be a Turk."

"I'll look it up," the Continental Governor said. "And your best man?"

Cloud gave Bismarck a solemn look.

"Zack Fair," he replied. "In absentia."

Tifa smiled; she felt he deserved it as well.

"Fair enough," the Continental Governor said. She then took a look the bride-to-be. "Can I talk to Tifa for a second?"

"No problem," agreed Cloud as he went back inside and closed the door.

The Continental Governor then gave Tifa a sincere look.

"I heard about what Yesha did to you," she began. "Whatever you pulled off to recover so quickly must have been no short of a miracle."

"You can say that again," Tifa said.

"Listen," the Continental Governor continued as she reached into her pocket. "I have a present for you."

"A...present?!" the perplexed Tifa asked.

Smiling, the Continental Governor handed her the gift.

"Keys?" Tifa asked.

"To my motorboat, parked at the pier 127 at Costa del Sol," Bismarck informed her.

"But why?" Tifa inquired.

"I don't know how much you learned on your quest," the Continental Governor said. "If you didn't learn a lot, these won't get you very far."

Tifa felt her spirits raised. The final piece of the puzzle was in place. Now, all she had to do was go there and rescue her father.

_These keys will get us to Betelgeuse and beyond!_ Tifa thought.

A few minutes later, the Continental Governor was gone, having returned to her office for the day.

Tifa stood in the kitchen, staring at the gift.

"She gave you keys?" Cloud asked.

"To her motorboat," Tifa clarified. "Which can take us..."

"...straight to the Island Gulag," Cloud finished. "But why?"

"I don't know," she replied. "Either she feels bad, she wants to get rid of the Gulag but not look like she's shutting it down, or she wants to lure me into a trap."

"And which one do you think is the case?"

"I don't know," Tifa admitted. "But I guess there's only one way to find out. Cloud, there's a story I never told you."

FLASHBACK...

Tifa Lockheart, age twelve, stood in front of the mirror. Wearing a black sleeveless dress that stopped at her knees, she stared at her reflection, full of emotion. Her mother's funeral had just ended. Now that everyone had gone home, she was practicing how to break it to her father.

"I want to live with Uncle Albert," Tifa said to the mirror. "I want nothing to do with you anymore. You killed mom!"

She practiced it for an hour before leaving the room. As soon as she stepped out, she immediately heard the sound of sobbing that naturally belonged to her father. She slowed down, and entered the master bedroom.

At first, Tifa was not swayed.

"I want to live with Uncle Albert," she began.

But that was as far as she got.

"I was going to reconcile with your mom the day she died," Brian said sadly.

_Bullshit,_ thought Tifa as she folded her arms.

He then showed her his cell phone. It was a Dear Jane text he had sent to the other woman.

Tifa gasped and clutched her mouth with both of her hands.

...END FLASHBACK

"My dad's not really a bad guy," Tifa explained. "He regretted what he did, and tried to make things right. It was just too late. But who knows how he felt?"

"You don't have to explain anything," Cloud assured her.

"It was then that I realized I couldn't blame my dad anymore, she said.

FLASHBACK...

The twelve-year-old, funeral-dress clad Tifa buried her head in her father's shoulder.

"I shouldn't have spied on you, papa," she sobbed. "I shouldn't have told her. AND MOM SHOULD HAVE WATCHED WHERE SHE WAS GOING!"

Tifa then began to nearly hyperventilate.

Brian held her close.

"It happened, Tifa," he whispered. "That's all. It happened."

...END FLASHBACK

"It sounded so simple," Tifa said, "but he was right. It happened. And playing the blame game wouldn't have brought my mom back."

Cloud was silent. He had never heard that part of the story. He could see why she was willing to risk it all for her father. She had moved forward from her mother.

"But, yes," she continued, "I'm taking the motorboat to the Island Gulag. It's going to be dangerous, and I you don't want to come with me, I'll understand."

Cloud looked Tifa in the eyes.

"I kind of made a promise to help you if you were ever in a bind," he said.

"And you did that," she pointed out.

"Well," he continued, "you said 'ever.' To me, that means every time you're in a bind. Count me in."

Tifa felt overwhelmed. If there was one person she could ever count on, it would be Cloud. And it was one of the many reasons she was happy to be engaged to him.

"Oh, Cloud!" she said. "You're my star!"

And she threw her arms around her fiancé and kissed him.

"I love you," she said with a smile.

"And I love you," he replied. "And we'll do this together. You've spent weeks wondering whether your father's alive. Well, in a few hours, you will know the answer."


	66. The Basement

Premonitions II: Crisis Core

Chapter 66: The Basement

Friday, February 1, 0008

One Day Until the Wedding

Tifa and Cloud stood at pier 127 at Costa del Sol. The keys were in Tifa's hand. Bismarck's motorboat floated in front of them. Nothing was in their way. There was no longer a quest for anything. All they had to do was take the boat to the Island Gulag.

Tifa was wearing a black tank top and a pair of tight (and, as Cloud found it, extremely sexy) leather pants; she wanted to look good for her fiancé. She was also wearing lipstick and earrings; she wanted to look nice for her father. It would be her first time seeing him in five years.

With no more obstacles to the quest, Tifa and Cloud made their way down the dock and hopped into the motorboat. Tifa sat in the driver's seat and put the keys in the ignition. She set the GPS for the coordinates she had found in the journal.

This was it.

"Ready?" she asked, as she looked at her fiancé.

"Ready," Cloud replied. "Let's do this."

Tifa cautiously pulled the boat out of the dock and into the open ocean. She then steered the boat in accordance with the GPS. Controlling the boat was much easier than she had expected. It would be a comfortable ride until they reached the island.

"Oh," she announced suddenly. "Costa del Luna."

Cloud turned his head, only to see an empty, salty marshland.

"Made you look!" she laughed.

Tifa then took Cloud's hand with her free one. She felt blessed to have him accompany her. She always felt more confident when he was around.

_Hang on, papa,_ Tifa thought. _I'm coming._

SOMEWHERE ELSE...

Shera stared at the bridesmaid dress that hung from the closet door.

"You know what's funny?" she asked.

Cid shook his head.

"I haven't worn a dress since I was a toddler," she said.

"Really?" he asked.

Shera nodded.

"I wonder how I'll look?" she asked herself out loud. "Hopefully great. I'm also thinking about...not wearing my glasses."

"Would you be able to see?" Cid asked.

"Not too well, she replied. "But if I stay between two of the girls, I should be fine."

Cid was silent. Shera usually struck him as the geeky kind. She never even wore makeup, let alone a dress.

"I just want to look as beautiful as possible tomorrow," she continued. "The last day I'm a virgin."

And then, Cid looked at her.

"Cid," she continued, "trust me, I want this, too. It's taking our trust to the next level."

"I suppose," he grunted; he was never for sentimental talk.

"They're called private parts for a reason, you know," Shera said. "If you let someone see them, that means you really trust them. By the way, I have a surprise for you after the wedding?"

"What's that?" he asked.

"It's before midnight, so it isn't naughty, but I hope you'll like it."

MEANWHILE...

Tifa's heart began to beat faster as the island came into view.

It was a small island, completely stone and lacking vegetation. There did not seem to be any animal life, either. The only feature of the island was a building that Tifa presumed to be the Gulag. It looked as if it was two stories high, with a six- or seven-story tower to the northern end of it.

"My dad's in there," Tifa said softly as she clutched her fiancé's hand. "But...how to we get up there?"

The island was sharply elevated twenty feet above sea level. There were no elevators nor stairwells. The jagged nature of the island walls made them impossible to climb.

"That might not be the only way in," Cloud suggested. "Let's circle the island."

Tifa steered the boat around one corner; she saw nothing. She then steered it around another corner, and still saw nothing. Her hopes began to fade as she steered around a third corner to explore the final side.

An opening suddenly appeared in the rock. As Tifa drove the motorboat towards it, she noticed that it was a tunnel for the other motorboats to use. Cautiously, she steered the boat toward the tunnel.

As soon as they entered the tunnel, both of their ears were greeted by a loud magnetic sound, followed by their Materia flying out of their pockets towards the ceiling.

"Hey!" exclaimed Tifa. "What the?!"

"I felt it, too," Cloud acknowledged.

"Our materia's gone," she said.

"Looks like it's a security thing," Cloud said. "I guess I'll have to put wear and tear on my buster sword."

"Angeal's going to turn over in his grave," Tifa said.

"Who?" he asked.

"Tell you later."

Eventually, they came to an area where motorboats were docked left and right. They found an open space and parked theirs.

Tifa climbed onto the platform and helped Cloud out of the boat.

"Let's kiss for luck," she commanded.

Cloud wrapped his arms around Tifa's waist and kissed her.

They then followed the platform until the water ended, and they were greeted by a tunnel.

"Cloud," Tifa warned, "be ready for anything."

He nodded.

The two of them entered the tunnel. The floor, ceiling, and walls were dark brown concrete. There did not seem to be any technology of any kind. The tunnel continued to lead straight, seemingly endlessly.

Eventually, the tunnel ended, and they came to a doorway.

Moments later, four scout-bots emerged from the opening.

"Shit!" Tifa exclaimed. "I almost forgot about them!"

Cloud immediately drew his sword and decapitated the nearest scout-bot. He then impaled a second one.

Tifa, meanwhile, performed a side kick that decapitated the nearest scout-bot to her. She then performed another side kick on the remaining scout-bot, causing it to crash into the wall and leave it mangled beyond repair.

"Those were the prototype," Cloud sighed as he put his sword away. "That was way too easy."

"I think they know we're here," Tifa said as she gazed at the scrap metal.

"We'll find him quickly," Cloud said.

They passed through the doorway, and immediately saw the prison cells. They were now more than three yards square, and each and every one of them had an occupant.

The occupants were both men and women. They were aged from the late teens to the early seventies. Some of them were missing limbs. Many of them looked ill.

"Help me!" one of them pleaded.

"Hang in there!" Tifa assured him.

She moved from cell to cell, looking for her father, but to no avail. None of the cells' occupants were identified. She was looking for a needle in a haystack.

"Papa!" she called, hoping he would recognize her. "Dad!"

But she did not get a response. She began to move more frantically, hoping that Brian would be in the next cell.

And then, Tifa felt a gun press against her head.

"Freeze!" shouted a familiar voice.

Cautiously, Tifa put her hands up.

"Anus!" Cloud greeted as he ran toward him and began to draw his sword.

"Anez!" he angrily corrected. "Put that sword away!" he then commanded as he tightened his finger on the trigger.

Defeated, Cloud did as he was told.

"I didn't actually think you would be dumb enough to come here," Anez continued. "I thought Yesha breaking you to pieces would teach you a lesson. Obviously, it didn't."

Tifa was silent. She would not dignify anything with response.

"You really, really, really want to see your father?" Anez taunted as he pushed the gun into Tifa's head. "Is that really why you came here?"

Tifa still didn't respond. She felt as if he was trying to play some sort of head game with her.

"So be it," Anez finally said. "I'll take you to him."

Tifa's eyes widened. She was wondering if he meant what he was saying.

"But don't try anything funny," Anez warned. "My finger's on the trigger."

Tifa cautiously nodded.

"Let's get going, then," he announced.

Tifa was led, still at gunpoint, through the halls of the basement past an endless line of cells. She still looked for her father's face, but the prisoners were all strangers, and most of them did not seem interested in the situation.

Cloud followed closely behind. He was tempted to draw his sword, but he was well aware he would be putting his fiancée's life in danger if he did so. He spent the whole time thinking of another way to rescue her.

Finally, Anez stopped them. He then went to a cell that was just ahead of them, entered a code on the console, and the door slid open.

_This is it!_ Tifa thought, not heeding the circumstances. _After all this time, now my father's only a few feet away!_

"Few minutes," Anez said as he pointed to the open doorway. "That's all."

Slowly, Tifa moved forward to her destination, with her heart pounding. Seeing her father was a few moments away After weeks of speculation and searching, it had come to this. She turned to her left.

He was sitting on his cell bench with this head down. His hair was graying, as it had been five years since she had last seen him. His mustache had been replaced with a beard, and he had lost a considerable amount of weight. But his eyes were easily recognizable. She would recognize them anywhere.

"Oh, papa!" Tifa cried as she ran to her father and threw her arms around him. Tears of joy ran down her face.

"Tifa?!" he exclaimed in a tone of voice that sounded somewhere between surprise and horror. "They captured you?!"

"No papa," she sobbed, "I came here to rescue you. I spent the last two weeks looking for you. Now, I've finally found you!"

Brian broke the embrace, and gently guided his daughter back so he could have a look at her. He had not laid eyes on his daughter in five years. Now, it was a moment to savor.

"My God, you've grown up," he said in awe. "You must be twenty now."

Tifa nodded as more tears fell from her eyes.

"It's hard to keep track of time here," Brian continued. "How did you find me?"

"Tobin wrote a journal before he was killed," Tifa explained. "I found it, read it, and found out where this place is. And now I'm here to take you home."

Brian opened his mouth and began to say something. And then, he noticed Cloud standing at the doorway.

Cloud noticed the acknowledgement as well, and began to feel uneasy. He had not forgotten his attitude towards him.

"Papa," Tifa began as she place her hand on his cheek, "Cloud didn't take me to Mount Nibel. I went there on my own, and..."

"I met Zack Fair again shortly after he arrived here," Brian interjected as he turned towards Cloud. "He told me how you hurt yourself protecting Tifa from those creatures outside of the Nibel Reactor. I don't know how you came to be such a good friend to her over the past twenty years, but I'll always be grateful for it."

Both Cloud and Tifa felt relieved; it was obvious he no longer hated the former.

Tifa realized that it would be a perfect time to tell him the good news.

"He's become more than a friend," she added as she flaunted the diamond ring on her left hand.

Brian's face brightened as he spotted the engagement ring.

"When did this happen?" he asked in amazement.

"A week ago," Tifa replied. "Right after we saved the world from Sephiroth. If you saw a bunch of green energy suddenly come out of the ground last week, we kind of did that."

"Well," said Brian, "I was kind of locked up in here, so I really didn't see anything or even hear about the outside world. For the same reason, though, I won't be sour he didn't ask me first."

"He didn't even propose," Tifa corrected. "I did."

"You proposed to him?!" Brian exclaimed.

Tifa nodded with a smile. People's surprise at that never got old.

"You raised me to be a strong woman," she continued. "So I opened my heard and made a bold move. A bought the ring, I got down on one knee, and I asked him."

"Wow," said Brian with an amazed sigh. "My daughter's getting married!"

Suddenly the cell door opened again.

The noise pierced Tifa's ears.

In came Anez, still armed with a handgun. There was a smirk on his face.

"Time's up!" he announced firmly.

He then pointed the gun at Brian and placed his finger on the trigger.

Tifa quickly realized what he was about to do.

"No!" she cried as she immediately flung her leg in Anez's direction.

Her foot struck his hand hard; the gun flew out of his hand as Anez doubled on the ground, clutching his hand in pain.

The gun, meanwhile, hit the wall with such force that it broke in two.

Brian was astounded.

"Where did you learn to get so quick and agile?" he inquired. "I've never seen anyone react that fast!"

"Zangan," she replied. "I had training with him for several years after you were taken. I went to Xing and trained for three years. I even learned how to pick up a guy twice my size."

"How's he doing?" Brian asked.

Tifa sadly lowered her head.

"He...isn't," she answered. "Karnak killed him. He set the cabin I was staying at on fire, with me, Tobin, our friend Alicia, and Zangan inside. I was able to save everyone but him."

Meanwhile, Anez rose to his feet. He felt the pain lingering. He saw the broken gun in two pieces on the floor. And then, he saw Tifa, the woman who had beaten him.

Enraged, Anez lowered his head so it was aimed at Tifa; if he struck her chest with his head, all of her ribs would break. Then, after letting out a hideous noise, he charged in her direction with all his might.

And, at the last moment, Tifa jumped out of the way.

Anez's crashed hard into the concrete wall. He shook momentarily. Then he collapsed to the ground.

The three of them kept an eye on the fallen Anez for a good minute, waiting for something to happen.

But nothing did.

Cloud cautiously knelt down and checked for a pulse.

"He's dead!" he observed. "So long, Anus! I guess you do need brains to be the boss. An asshole just won't do."

Tifa broke out laughing, recalling the email she had gotten from Shera.

Gradually, her laughter subsided, and she stood solemnly. She then realized it: her quest had succeeded. She had found her father. He was alive, and now he could come home with her.

But, he, quite understandably, was not quite ready to flee.

"You know," Brian began, "there's still nearly a hundred other prisoners down here."

Tifa looked at her father, and realized that he was right.

"There should be enough boats for them all to escape on," she said. "Who are we up against?"

"Just Karnak," replied Brian, "his remaining three, and any technology."

Tifa smiled. She could use a victory lap.

"Anyone objecting to freeing the rest of the prisoners?" she asked.

Cloud and Brian both shook their heads.

"There's a control room on the second floor," Brian said. "If we can get inside, we can free everybody at once."

He then led Tifa and Cloud out of the cell, through the prison, and to the stairs that led to the first floor.

"So when's the big day?" Brian asked.

"Tomorrow," Tifa replied.

"Tomorrow?!" Brian exclaimed in surprise.

"Yes, tomorrow," she repeated happily. "And you get to walk me down the aisle!"


	67. The First and Second Floors

Premonitions II: Crisis Core

Chapter 67: The First and Second Floors

February 1, 0008

One Day Until the Wedding

THE FIRST FLOOR...

Tifa, Cloud, and Brian climbed the stairs. They were now on the first floor of the Island Gulag. It no longer looked like a dungeon; the walls were white, and the hall that was before them was well lit.

It looked somewhat like a hospital, and Tifa could not decide on how to feel about that.

"So you guys saved the world?" Brian asked as the three made their way down the hall, keeping their eyes peeled for any surprises that might present themselves.

"We did," Tifa replied. "But we had a lot of help. We had a group from all over the world. Barret Wallace, Yuffie Kisaragi, Cid Highwind..."

"Vincent Valentine," Cloud added.

"I heard he was dead," Brian mentioned.

"He is," Tifa replied. "It's complicated."

The three of them passed two rooms visible through large glass windows, one on each side. Both rooms had surgical tables; Tifa shuddered at the thought of what might have transpired there.

"Experiments were done on this floor," Brian explained. "A lot of people who went up here never came back down."

"I can't believe a place like this exists," Cloud added.

"So," Brian continued, "when did you two...officially become a couple?"

"Right after Meteor was summoned," Tifa answered. "I confessed it on the bridge of the Highwind."

"The Highwind?" Brian asked.

"FKA the Shinra 2000," Cloud clarified.

"And _you_ proposed to _him_," Brian repeated. "That is the first time I've ever head of a girl proposing to a guy."

"I don't believe in gender roles," Tifa insisted. "After all, I was the only girl in Nibelheim who never went to dance class."

"So who wears the pants in your relationship?" Brian asked.

"She does," Cloud replied.

Tifa simply smiled and nodded.

Just then, the hallway came to a cross-intersection. As they crossed, they were attacked on both sides.

"More scout-bots," Tifa muttered as she cracked her knuckles.

"No problem!" Cloud announced as he drew his buster sword.

Cloud took care of both of the scout-bots on the left with one swipe.

Tifa, meanwhile, uppercutted one of the ones on the right, knocking its head off. She then decapitated the other one with her foot.

"My God!" Brian exclaimed in amazement. "Zangan trained you to do that?"

"Yeah," Tifa replied. She then walked over to Cloud, knelt down, and picked him up. "And this!"

"I didn't know that!" Cloud exclaimed as the world suddenly turned upside down for him.

"Well, now you know," she said as she set him down.

The three of them then continued up the hallway. Two more rooms with big glass windows lay up ahead. As they passed them, Tifa noticed that the one on the right was empty.

The one on the left had a mutilated corpse on its operating table.

The three of them all turned away from it in unison.

"Papa," Tifa began nervously, "did they...do anything to you?"

"I was injected a couple of times," Brian replied. "But that was it. I think they kept me here because they didn't want me telling anyone about this place."

"I wouldn't be surprised," she said.

"Most older people like me just dealt with injections and tests. It was the younger crowd who got the more...violent experiments."

Tifa grimaced at the thought of it.

"So do you plan on having kids someday?" Brian asked, hoping to lighten the mood.

"You bet!" she replied.

"Boys or girls?"

"Boys, hopefully," Tifa quickly responded. "I think I was born to be a boy mom."

"Incoming!" Cloud suddenly shouted.

Four more scout-bots appeared up ahead.

Cloud, wasting no time, ran ahead and dispatched them quickly.

"Where did you get that sword of yours?" Brian asked. "That guy who came to Nibelheim with Sephiroth had one just like that."

"It's the same one," Cloud explained.

The three of them continued down the hall until they reached a corridor.

"The stairs to the second floor are just around that corner," Brian explained. "Once we get up there, the control room won't be too far off."

The three of them rounded the corner, and immediately stopped.

A menacing contraption was guarding the stairs to the second floor. It was a rod on a spherical ball, with arms coming out of its sides. It was similar to the S-252 Cloud and Tifa had encountered the previous Monday. Only this one had "arms" with machine guns attached to them.

"What is that thing?!" Brian exclaimed.

"An S-352," Cloud replied.

"We had to deal with something similar a few days ago," Tifa added. "Only now, we don't have any materia."

"It's poorly designed," Cloud assured them. "Look how the wires are showing on the arms. This shouldn't be too hard."

He drew his buster sword, and approached the S-352.

As it turned out, the wires were showing to make the arms more flexible.

The S-352 quickly pointed its left machine gun at Cloud and opened fire.

Cloud jumped back just in time to avoid getting pelted with bullets.

"Okay," he sighed. "I need a plan b."

"You know what?" Tifa suddenly said. "I think it is poorly designed."

Before Cloud or Brian could say anything, Tifa approached the S-352.

The contraption immediately opened fire.

Tifa jumped to the left.

The S-352 repositioned itself and continued to fire.

She jumped to the right.

The S-352 repositioned itself and continued to fire.

She jumped to the right again.

The S-352 repositioned itself and continued to fire.

She jumped to the left.

The S-352 repositioned itself and continued to fire. And then, it stopped. It was out of bullets.

Tifa quickly dashed to the S-352 and ripped its gun-arms off with one firm yank.

"It was too slow for me," she said as she turned to the men behind her and smiled.

"That thing could have killed you!" Brian reprimanded.

"Just wait to you hear about the rest of our adventures!" Tifa said. "I've fought and killed things that were far more dangerous. And I was briefly petrified."

"What?!" Brian exclaimed.

"Long story," she replied, before leading the two men up the stairs.

THE SECOND FLOOR

The second floor looked identical to the first, with white, brightly lit hallways. Only this time, the control room was somewhere on the floor. Once it was accessed, all of the prisoners would be released, and the Island Gulag would be no more.

"So," Brian began, as the three of them continued down the hall, "please forgive me...but...this is a dad question."

Both Tifa and Cloud groaned in unison.

"You're not...pregnant, are you?" he asked.

"No," Tifa laughed. "No way!"

"We'll have kids someday," Cloud added. "But not now."

"We're waiting until we're married," Tifa added. "I'm...actually still a virgin."

"Sorry I asked," Brian apologized. "I was just a little surprised that you're getting married at twenty after only a few weeks of dating."

"It's really complicated," she said. "I'll explain everything when this is all over."

"We're living in an alternate timeline," Cloud added. "That's really the most we can say right now, but we have memories of the old timeline that no longer exists. Our minds are closer to thirty."

"Yeah," Brian agreed. "You will need to sit down and explain this to me. It sounds like you've been through a lot."

The three of them then came to another cross intersection of two hallways.

Two scout-bots approached of each side.

"These guys don't give up!" Tifa exclaimed.

She then stood in between them and allowed them to approach her. As soon as they were close enough, she ripped both of their heads off simultaneously. The bodies fell to the ground with a thud.

Beyond the cross intersection was a sealed double door on the right hand side of the hallway. Above it read: MASTER CONTROL ROOM. AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL ONLY.

"Here it is!" Brian announced suddenly.

As the three of them approached the door, they noticed that it would not open.

"It's sealed," Brian said. "Figures. The security level would have to be high."

And then, Tifa spotted a number-code console next to the door. She pulled a piece of paper out of her pocket. It read: 61882.

"Maybe this will help," she suggested.

She typed the code into the console.

A moment later, the door slid open.

"Where did you get the code?" Cloud asked.

"Alicia gave it to me," Tifa replied. "Six-one-eight-eight-two."

"Six-one-eight-eight-two?" Cloud repeated. "As in June 18, 1982. Rufus Shinra's birthday."

The three of them entered the control room. Inside, there were several surveillance screens. There was a microphone on a console; it seemed to be used for announcements. Several computers were placed throughout the room. There were also several file cabinets, and a safe.

But what attracted their full attention was a large, round, red button on the far side of the room.

Below the button, it read: "EMERGENCY CELL RELEASE."

"It looks like I just press the button and it's done?" Tifa asked herself out loud.

"It appears so," Brian agreed.

"Is an alarm going to sound?" Cloud asked.

"I'm not sure," Brian replied.

"One way to find out," Tifa said.

She approached the button, and opened her palm. And, before she could change her mind, she pressed the button.

An alarm immediately sounded.

Cloud and Brian jumped.

Tifa did not.

_What's the big deal?_ she thought. _They already know we're here anyway._

She immediately ran to the microphone and took it into her hand.

"Attention all prisoners!" she announced. "If you are hearing this, your cell doors are now open. My name is Tifa Lockheart, and this is an escape. You need to get to the motorboats and leave the island. The dock is on your level. Six people can fit on each boat. Please make your way immediately. Thank you, and Godspeed."

With that, Tifa set the microphone down and turned to her father and her fiancé.

"I think it's time we got out of here ourselves," she suggested.

Cloud and Brian nodded in unison.

With the alarm still blaring, the three of them exited the control room, and turned in the direction from which they came. Just a trip back down the hall, down the stairs, down another hall, down another flight of stairs, and through the basement and to the dock would be all it would take.

But they did not get very far.

Several yards away stood another unpleasant, familiar face.

It was Yesha.

"Where are you off to?" she taunted.

"We're going home!" Tifa retorted. "And we're taking my father with me."

"Have you forgotten already?" Yesha continued. "I nearly killed you last night over a measly journal. What makes you think I won't finish the job over your father?"

"I'll tell you why," Cloud responded as he drew his buster sword. "The odds are a little more in her favor now!"

With that, he quickly charged toward Yesha.

Unfortunately for Cloud, Yesha was quicker. She threw her arm out, striking him.

Cloud was immediately lifted off his feet, and went flying across the hallway, hitting the wall hardly. He then fell to the ground, and slumped over on his side. He was knocked out cold.

"Cloud!" Tifa cried.

His buster sword skidded away, stopping at the corner of a cross intersection between two hallways.

Yesha then turned toward Tifa and Brian.

"It's too late," Tifa announced triumphantly. "I've already freed all the prisoners. They're escaping in the motorboats as we speak. Once they get home, they'll tell everyone they know about this place. Even if you kill me, you've lost."

"I'll do far worse than kill you," Yesha snarled as she began to approach Tifa and Brian.

Tifa cracked her knuckles.

"First," Yesha continued as she drew closer, "I'll kill your father right before your eyes."

Tifa instinctively stood in front of Brian.

"Then," Yesha threatened as she continued her approach, cracking her own knuckles, "I'll kill your beloved childhood friend and fiancé."

Tifa looked at Cloud in panic. He was still unconscious on the floor.

Yesha stood in between them, rendering it impossible for Tifa to come to his rescue.

Unknown to anyone, a hand took the stray buster sword, and dragged it away.

"Finally," Yesha said as she stood a yard away from Tifa, "I'll break your arms and legs all over again. But I won't let you bleed out this time. I'll leave you to live out the rest of your life in misery. You'll live with me on your mind until the day you die."

And then, a sword slid through Yesha's chest. It was the buster sword.

Tifa immediately glanced over to where Cloud had fallen.

He was still there.

_But if it wasn't Cloud,_ she thought, _than who?_

"You," growled Yesha as she stepped forward, gruesomely relieving herself from the sword. "You bitch!"

She took one step forward as the blood gushed from her chest.

Then another.

And then, she fell on her side, dead as a door nail.

The body continued to bleed as a shadow with spikey hair appeared over it.

Tifa, still bewildered at what had just happened, looked up.

Zack Fair was standing behind Yesha's body, buster sword in hand.

"I knew I recognized that voice on the intercom!" he said.

"Zack!" Tifa exclaimed. "You're alive!"

"Mostly," Zack corrected. "I did have a few experiments done on me, but they wanted me alive because of my...history." He then turned to the fallen Cloud. "What happened?" he asked.

"Yesha knocked him out," she replied. "She was nasty. She almost killed me last night."

"And Mr. Lockheart," Zack continued. "I thought you were dead!"

"I thought you were dead!" Brian replied.

"We can tell our horror stories of this place some other time," Zack suggested. He then turned, and made his way over to Cloud. He knelt down, and waved his hand in front of his face. "Come on, Cloud," he commanded. "Wake up!"

Cloud remained still.

Zack then turned towards Tifa, and gave her a solemn look.

"Forgive me," he requested.

"For what?" she asked.

In response, Zack smacked Cloud across the face.

Tifa gasped in shock.

And then, Cloud's eyes fluttered open as he regained consciousness.

"Welcome back, Cloud," Zack greeted.

"Zack?!" he asked in surprise. "You're alive?"

Zack nodded and smiled.

Cloud immediately got up and hugged his friend.

Zack then helped him to his feet.

"Well," began Cloud, as he spotted his weapon in Zack's possession, "now that you're alive again, you may as well keep the buster sword. I know how important it is to you, and you are its rightful owner."

In response, Zack handed the buster sword back to his friend.

"You're a little more important than my sword, Cloud," he said. "But just a little."

"Zack," Tifa began as she approached him. "I'm really sorry I blew up at you back at the Nibel Reactor. I've since learned that not all Shinra employees are evil."

"Apology accepted," Zack assured her. "That was a long time ago." He then spotted her left hand. "Is that an engagement ring?" Zack asked.

"It is," she happily replied.

Zack then turned to Cloud.

"So you did manage to tell her how you feel!" he congratulated.

"She said it first," Cloud admitted. "And she proposed."

Zack turned to Tifa in surprise.

"If it can't be any more obvious," she said, "I don't believe in gender roles."

"Does this mean you're going to carry him over the threshold?" Zack asked.

"I wasn't planning on it," she laughed. "But now that you mention it..."

She stopped. She spotted another figure down the hallway. His hair was spikey, like Cloud's and Zack's. Only it was blue.

Zack turned to see what Tifa was looking at.

"Zack Fair," taunted Karnak.

"Victor Karnak," Zack taunted back. "Somebody's ruined."

"I suppose so," Karnak replied nonchalantly. "Though I must admit I was getting tired of running this place. Anyway, I guess all that's left is a final showdown between me and you."

Cloud drew his sword.

Tifa cracked her knuckles.

"That is," Karnak continued, "if you can catch me!"

With that, he turned around, and ran off.

Tifa, Cloud, Brian, and Zack began to run in pursuit.


	68. The Tower

Premonitions II: Crisis Core

Chapter 68: The Tower

February 1, 0008

One Day Until the Wedding

THE SECOND FLOOR

The chase was on.

Tifa, Cloud, Brian, and Zack ran after Karnak, down the well-lit white hallways. He was many yards ahead, but he was greatly outnumbered. He would turn a corner at every chance he had, but his pursuers would always follow suit. He was running out of options, and he knew it.

As Tifa turned a corner after several minutes of pursuit, she could see a pair of double doors sliding closed.

"He went through there!" she exclaimed as she lead the way toward the doors.

"Careful!" Cloud warned as he drew his buster sword. "It might be a trap!"

"Fair enough," Tifa agreed as she began to slow down.

She waited until Cloud and the other two caught up to her.

"Ready?" she asked, wondering what was behind those doors.

"Let's go!" Cloud replied.

Tifa cautiously approached the double doors, and they slid open.

Four scout-bots immediately emerged from behind the doors.

Cloud took care of three of them with his buster sword.

Tifa kicked the remaining one into the wall, smashing it beyond repair.

The four of them then passed through the doors, and their surroundings were immediately changed.

They were now in a room where the walls were violet and the carpet was lavender. There were sofas and chairs placed throughout the room, as well as several pool tables and a few dartboards. There was a fish tank in one corner, and three pinball machines. An eighty-five inch television was against one of the walls.

Karnak was nowhere to be seen.

"Is this the break room or something?" Zack asked in surprise.

"It appears so," Brian answered.

Tifa continued to scan the room, searching for Karnak, but failed to spot him. As she scanned the opposite end of the room, she spotted a flight of stairs that lead upward.

"Where do those stairs go?" she asked rhetorically.

"Up," Brian replied sarcastically. "Seriously, I don't know."

"I've never been up there, either," Zack added.

"We did see a tower come from this building when we arrived," Cloud pointed out. "I'll bet this is it."

"How many floors would you say it has?" Tifa asked.

"I'd say six or seven," Cloud suggested.

"You think Karnak's up there?" Zack asked.

"One way to find out," Cloud replied.

And, without another word, the four of them climbed the stairs.

THE THIRD FLOOR

The third floor, with white walls and red carpet, contained bookshelves against the walls and throughout the room.

"Is this the library?" Zack asked.

"It looks like it," Cloud replied.

"Where they get their information on how to do their disgusting experiments," Brian added.

"Be careful," Tifa warned as she scanned the room. "Karnak could be hiding behind any one of those bookshelves."

The four of them began to cross the library. At each row of shelves, they stopped. Tifa would quickly poke her head around the shelves to check for Karnak. Each time, all she saw were books.

Until the third time. Two scout-bots jumped out from behind the bookshelves.

Cloud impaled one of them with the buster sword.

Tifa pulled the other one's head off.

They then checked the next bookshelf, and found nothing behind it. After repeating the process, they reached the other end of the library, where they beheld, and ascended, another flight of stairs.

THE FOURTH FLOOR

Upon reaching the fourth floor, Tifa, Cloud, Brian, and Zack found themselves in a brightly lit room. It was shelved the exact same way the library had been. Only instead of books, there were plants on the shelves. The floor was green tiled. There was a pond in the middle of the room.

"A nursery?!" Brian exclaimed.

"I think I know what this is for," Zack suggested. "All the drugs they experiment on us come from the plans that are grown here."

The four of them crossed the room slowly and carefully, keeping their eyes peeled for Karnak. He was nowhere to be found.

Near the center of the room, four scout-bots suddenly appeared from behind the shelves.

"How many of these things are there?!" Cloud exclaimed.

"Leave this one to me," Tifa commanded.

With that, she approached the pond.

She then whistled.

"You guys!" she taunted. "I'm over here!"

All four scout-bots turned toward her, and began to move in her direction.

Tifa simply stood confidently as the scout-bots drew closer.

Finally, once they were close enough, Tifa performed a roundhouse kick, knocking all four of the scout-bots into the pond. They immediately short-circuited.

"Water and electricity don't mix," she said as she cracked her knuckles.

Zack turned to Cloud.

"This is what you're marrying tomorrow?" he asked him.

"I know, I know," Cloud replied.

The four of them then continued through the room, but still saw no sign of Karnak. Ultimately, they reached the next upward flight of stairs.

THE FIFTH FLOOR

The fifth floor had yellow walls and tiles to match. There were many brown tables surrounded by four or five chairs. On one end of the room, there was a serving line, and there was also a buffet in the middle.

"This must be the dining area," Cloud said as he scanned the floor, looking, unsuccessfully, for Karnak.

"Even the worst of us have to eat," Tifa added.

Suddenly, four scout-bots appeared from behind the serving line.

"Don't tell me those things eat?!" Zack quipped.

As Cloud drew his sword, Tifa ran toward the scout-bots. As soon as she was close enough, she grabbed a chair, and swung it into the nearest scout-bot, rendering it inoperable. She then did the same to the remaining four scout-bots.

"Holy shit!" Zack exclaimed.

"Zangan taught you that, too?" Brian asked.

"He sure did," Tifa replied.

"Can you do that with a table?" Zack asked.

"I never tried it," Tifa answered. She then turned to the serving line. "I wonder if Karnak's hiding back there."

The four of them cautiously approached the serving line, and looked over.

There was nobody there.

They then directed their attention to the other end of the floor, where there was another stairwell leading upward.

There was only one way they could go.

THE SIXTH FLOOR

The sixth floor had orange walls and a lighter orange tiled floor. There was only one feature, and it was what appeared to be a single cell. The glass door was wide open, suggesting its occupant had escaped when Tifa freed the rest of the prisoners.

"Who or what was held here?" Zack wondered aloud.

"Who knows?" Cloud replied. "This doesn't look any different from the cells in the basement."

"Hold on," Tifa said as she noticed the screen to the right of the door. "This looks like a heat detecting camera."

"Why would they need that for?" Cloud asked.

"Maybe this was where they kept the scout-bots before they were ready," Brian suggested.

"Who knows," Zack replied. "But, in any case, if there's nothing on this floor, we need to keep going. Karnak could be just up those stairs."

The four of them began to make their way to the the stairs that led to the next floor.

Suddenly, Cloud stopped.

"What's wrong?" Tifa asked.

"I feel like we're being watched somehow," Cloud answered.

"Cloud," Zack dismissed, "there's no one else here."

Continuing, they ascended the stairs.

THE SEVENTH FLOOR

The seventh floor had a cerulean colored wall and light and dark blue tiles. There were a few paintings on the wall, along with a blue, square table with four chairs surrounding it.

It was where Karnak had meetings with his underlings.

Tifa quickly scanned the room. There was still no sign of Karnak. At the end of the room, there was no flight of stairs. It could only mean one thing.

"I think we've reached the top," Tifa said.

Instead, at the end of the room, there was a door under an exit sign. On the door, there was a sign that read: HELIPAD.

"Could he have gotten away?" Brian asked.

"We'll know if we don't see a helicopter out there," Cloud replied as he began to make his way to the door.

At that moment, there was a ghostly apparition. It lasted less than three seconds, but all four of them saw it. It appeared human, or at least humanoid.

"I think it's safe to say we all saw that distortion," Zack said.

"It's a person," Cloud added. "Probably wearing a cloaking bracelet."

"Could be Karnak," Zack suggested.

Tifa's mouth began to dry, and her heart began to race. She had another idea.

"Hello!" Zack called.

There was no response.

"He'll probably have to de-cloak before he can talk," Cloud suggested.

Tifa's heart began to beat faster. That sounded all too familiar.

The four of them stood in place for a moment, waiting for the distortion to reappear, but it did not.

Finally, Zack spoke.

"I'm fairly certain Karnak is right behind that door," he said. "If we hurry, we can still get him!"

Tifa, Cloud, Brian, and Zack began to make their way for the door.

As they did so, Tifa kept a watchful eye on her surroundings. She was desperately hoping to see the distortion again.

Zack was the first to reach the door. It slid open, revealing the still-sitting helicopter on the helipad. Smiling, Zack began to walk through.

"Hold it right there!" called yet another unpleasant voice.

Tifa, Cloud, Brian, and Zack turned around to see Lechar standing at the stairwell from the sixth floor, pointing what appeared to be a handgun at the four of them.

"It's over, Lechar," Tifa replied. "All the prisoners are off the island."

"Not _all_ of them," Lechar retorted as he stepped forward, and drew closer to the four. "Do you know what this is?" he taunted as he flaunted the handgun.

"A firearm," Tifa replied. "I've seen worse."

Lechar then turned toward the table and chairs. He fired the handgun.

Blue energy escaped the handgun and hit one of the chairs. Moments later, the chair turned brown and crumbled into dust.

Tifa and Cloud gasped.

Lechar then turned to his captives.

"I know you've seen that before," Lechar began as he stepped closer again. "I've had a feeling something was off ever since the premonitions began."

"What are you going on about?" Tifa demanded.

"I've been to the Lifestream," Lechar continued. "I was in Mideel when the ground collapsed right under me. I saw my own future the way I'm assuming you did. I know we're living in an alternate timeline."

"Congratulations," Cloud said sarcastically. "So far, the changes are pretty nice."

"Then you recognize what's in my hand?" Lechar taunted.

"A blue energy gun," Tifa replied. "Where the hell did you get it?"

"I'll tell you this," Lechar answered. "When I fell into the Lifestream, I learned something about my own future that might interest you."

"Nothing about your future could possibly interest us," Cloud dismissed.

"I was the one who gave Bestla the blue energy she used to kill you," Lechar proudly announced. "She wasn't smart enough to figure out how to get her hands on it, so I practically gave it to her."

"It was you?!" Tifa exclaimed.

"Bestla pulled the trigger," Lechar replied. "But I gave her the power. I didn't kill you though. At least not you two." He then turned to Zack. "But in the old timeline, you, Mr. Fair, died from my favorite experiment: removing the heart of a conscious human being!"

"You sick bastard!" Zack hissed.

"No worries," Lechar assured him. "This timeline, I'll kill you all right here and right now, quickly and painlessly." He then aimed the gun at Tifa. "I think I'll start with Miss Lockheart. It'll break the rest of you."

Tifa suddenly began to feel fear. She did not feel it often, but, at this moment, she knew there was no escape. After coming this far, she would be stopped by something this petty.

Lechar placed his finger on the trigger.

"You really should've taken everyone's advice and left it well enough alone!"

Tifa closed her eyes, and awaited the inevitable.

And then, suddenly, Lechar's head jerked to the right. He then fell to the ground, dead as a door nail.

Tifa, upon hearing the loud snap, slowly opened her eyes. She went over to check the body, which had vertebrae poking out of the neck.

_His neck couldn't have snapped on its own,_ she thought.

And then, the distortion reappeared next to the body. Moments later, it began to materialize into a familiar face.

Tifa felt relieved as tears of joy formed in her eyes.

"Tobin!" she exclaimed happily.

"Hey, Tifa," he greeted.

Tifa immediately threw her arms around her cousin and squeezed him.

"I thought the worst!" she exclaimed as she began to sob. "I came to your parents house looking for you. I went to Cosmo Canyon. I heard you went away and never came back!"

"I thought I was history, too," he replied as he hugged her back.

Then, Tifa realized something.

"So you were held in that heat-sensitive cell?" she asked.

"You got it," Tobin replied. "They couldn't remove the cloaking bracelet, so they needed something to detect my presence. But I was amazed to hear your voice again when you were in the intercom. I realized that I was getting off of this island. You obviously found the journal?"

"I sure did," she answered. "It nearly killed me, literally, but I found it and read it."

"So you know about all my adventures and misadventures?" Tobin asked.

"You bet," replied the smiling Tifa. "Including your trip to Costa del Luna, and your prom night."

Tobin began to blush.

"Prom night?" asked the perplexed Zack.

Tobin began to feel nervous.

"It's nothing," Tifa insisted. "It's nothing."

"Well," Zack continued, "here's something. Karnak is right outside that door. Now's our chance to finish him off!"

"Agreed," Tifa said as she eyed the blue energy gun and picked it up. Then, to everyone's surprise, she broke it in two. "This can't fall into the wrong hands," she explained. "Let's go!"

The four of them made their way out the door. There, the helicopter sat there, awaiting a course.

There was still no Karnak.

"Well," Zack began, "where the hell is he?"

"Did we miss him?" Brian asked.

"That's...impossible," Tifa dismissed. "We checked every spot. Where could he have gone?"

The process of elimination sat in front of them.

"I'll check the helicopter," Cloud volunteered.

"Cloud," pleaded Tifa as she placed her hand on his shoulder, "please be careful."

Cloud smiled and kissed her.

"Don't worry about it," he assured her.

He then ran to the helicopter and went inside. A few moments later, he poked his head out.

"No Karnak on board," he announced.

Tifa sighed.

"He must have gotten away at the dock," she deduced. "I hope he didn't hurt any prisoners on the way out."

"I certainly didn't see him on my way up from the basement," Zack said. He then turned to the helicopter. "But, we do have a ticket out of here."

"Without defeating Karnak?!" Brian protested.

Tifa looked at everyone.

"We defeated Karnak," she replied. "I came here to rescue my papa, and we ended up saving Zack, Tobin, and all of the other prisoners here. His operation is ruined. He's going to be the one in a prison from now on. Every prosecutor on the Western Continent is going to go after him. Wherever he's gone, they'll track him down." She then scanned the three men standing in front of her. "Can any of you pilot a chopper?"

"I can," Tobin volunteered. "I learned over the last year."

"Then it's settled," Tifa declared. "We're leaving the island. The authorities will deal with Karnak."

Tobin was the first to board the helicopter, followed by Zack and Brian.

Tifa took one last look at her surroundings. Then, she took one step into the helicopter.

"Don't you dare!" shouted Karnak.

Tifa immediately spun around to see him passing through the doorway. His buster sword was in one hand. But he was flaunting something else in the other.

"This is a remote detonator," he announced. "If anyone gets off, or tries to fly this chopper off this island, one press of a button is all it would take for you all to go up in smoke."

"What do you want?" Tifa demanded.

"You ruined everything for me today," Karnak replied. "I want to settle things with you. A fight to the death. Accept, and I'll spare your friends."

Tifa looked back on the helicopter. The lives of its occupants were now in her hands.

"You have me," she reluctantly agreed.

Karnak grinned as he put the detonator away and tightened his grip around the buster sword. A moment later, he began to charge Tifa.

Tifa was quicker, and slid past him. She immediately rose to her feet, turned around, and kicked Karnak in the back of his left knee with all her might.

The kick did not affect him. He turned around, and swiped his buster sword.

Tifa jumped a yard backward. She then kicked Karnak in the arm.

It still seemed to have no effect on him.

Karnak again struck at Tifa with his buster sword.

Tifa jumped another yard backward. She was now inside the blue-tiled room again. Determined to go down with a fight, she kicked Karnak in the groin as hard as she could.

There was still no effect.

"Is that the best you can do, you little bitch?" Karnak taunted before jabbing his sword at Tifa again.

Tifa jumped back another yard.

"You can't do that forever," he declared as he swiped at her again.

Tifa jumped another yard backward.

"I can try!" she protested.

"Foolish girl," Karnak continued as he swiped his buster sword at her again (causing her to jump back another yard), "I have Sephiroth's strength in me. I can't go down by fists alone!" With that, he took another jab at Tifa.

Tifa jumped back another yard, and felt her a hard surface against her back.

It was the blue table.

She could go no further.

Realizing that she only had moments to live if she failed to defeat Karnak, Tifa took one of the chairs and hurled it into Karnak's right side.

The chair broke into many pieces.

Karnak simply grinned, and aimed his buster sword directly at Tifa's heart.

"So this is what you traded your life for," Karnak gloated as he pulled his buster sword back, preparing to drive it into Tifa's chest.

Tifa, without warning, quickly turned around, grabbed the table, and, using every ounce of her strength, flung the table into Karnak.

The table broke in two.

Karnak fell to the ground, and dropped his buster sword.

Realizing she had only seconds to spare before he recovered, Tifa grabbed the buster sword immediately aimed it at Karnak.

Karnak gave her a helpless look.

"Get up," Tifa ordered.

Karnak slowly did as he was ordered.

Quick as a flash, Tifa reached into Karnak's pocket and snatched the detonator.

Karnak looked at her, as if to beg for mercy. He was beaten, and he knew it.

"Down the stairs," she demanded.

Defeated, Karnak descended the stairs, down to the sixth floor. It was the floor where Tobin's former prison cell was.

"Into the cell," she ordered, with the buster sword still aimed at Karnak.

Karnak went into the cell. He then turned around, sat down on the bench, and gave Tifa a defeated look.

"So I guess there's one thing left to do," he said.

"You killed Zangan," Tifa replied. "You impersonated Cloud. You tried to kill Cloud. You tried to kill me. You tortured my father. You tortured my cousin. You tortured Zack. God only knows what else you did!"

"I can reform," Karnak pleaded as he gave her a regretful look.

Tifa could immediately tell it was feigned. She kept the buster sword aimed at Karnak's heart.

"It's too late," she rebuked. "You deserve to die!"

The helpless Karnak closed his eyes, preparing to feel the blade pierce his chest.

And then, Tifa stepped forward and fist-bumped a button, causing the cell door to slide shut.

"But I prefer you the way you are now," Tifa continued. "Locked up alone. You'll have the rest of your life to regret it."

Karnak opened his eyes, and looked into Tifa's. There was nothing to be said.

"Good-bye, Karnak," she said as she turned around and walked away without looking back.

Tifa silently climbed the stairs to the seventh floor, stopping briefly to scan the overturned furniture before exiting out the door to the helipad. She disarmed the detonator and climbed into the helicopter.

As soon as she saw Cloud, Tifa ran to him, threw her arms around him, and pressed her lips against his.

"Karnak's done," she announced as she broke the kiss.

"You didn't kill him," Cloud asked. "Did you?"

Tifa shook her head.

"But we won't be seeing him again," she added. "He can stew in Tobin's old cell indefinitely."

"He'll be on this island all alone," Tobin added. "He's going to be really pissed when he gets off."

"Yeah," said Zack. "_If_ he gets off."

"Oh, and Zack?" Tifa began, "I just found out I can fling a table."

And then, Tobin finally spotted the rock on Tifa's finger.

"Wait a minute," he began. "You're engaged?!"

Tifa nodded with a smile.

"To Cloud?"

She nodded again.

"We're getting married tomorrow," she said. "I'll see you there."

"You bet!" Tobin said happily.

The five of them then turned to the cockpit that Tobin was now seated in.

"Next stop, Nibelheim?" Zack naturally asked.

Tifa scanned the helicopter. She then scanned her four companions. And then, she spotted Tobin.

"Cosmo Canyon," she corrected. "Next stop, Cosmo Canyon."

LATER...

The sun was beginning to set as the helicopter gently landed several yards from Cosmo Candle.

Tifa was the first to get out of the helicopter, followed by Tobin. Everyone else stayed inside; it would be a quick drop-off.

Tobin turned to his cousin and looked her in the eyes.

"Thanks again for saving my worthless ass," he said.

"No problem," she replied. "Just...promise me one thing. Don't ever do anything like that again. You're the closest thing I have to a brother, okay?"

"I won't," Tobin assured her. "Not even if there's ever another Meteor." He paused. "So you're getting married in Nibelheim?" he asked.

"You got it," Tifa answered.

"I'll be there," Tobin assured her.

She smiled in response. Her smile then faded as she turned her gaze toward where Tobin's apartment was.

"But until then," she said to her cousin, "you have another place to be."

Tobin turned his glance toward his home. He realized what awaited him there.

"Tobin," Tifa continued, "losing you left Cissnei broken-hearted. She may be incapable of crying, but she can still show it."

"I know," he guiltily admitted.

"But she's up there now," she said. "She needs to know you're alive. She really cares about you, you know."

With that, Tifa wrapped her arms around Tobin's neck and kissed him on the cheek.

"Now go to your best friend," she commanded.

"Will do," he agreed.

Tifa smiled and boarded the helicopter, which took off moments later.

With nothing further ado, Tobin climbed the stairs to the hallway where he lived. He laughed to himself, thinking about all he had been through.

_I knew writing that journal would save my sorry ass,_ he thought. _I know going to the Island Gulag was a dumb thing to do in the first place, but, hell, we all thought we were going to die. Plus, if Zack and I didn't pull that stunt, Tifa never would have found Uncle Brian. It's funny how two wrongs make a right._

Tobin then opened the door, and entered the hallway.

_But, damn, Zack'll eventually find out about prom night. I'll have to tell him when he's in a really good mood. And, once I do, maybe I could publish the journal. I'll make a shitload of money off of it._

Finally, he reached his apartment.

Tobin suddenly became tense, realizing that he had a lot of explaining to do. Tifa was right; he had hurt Cissnei very much by going to the Island Gulag. He did not know whether she knew of Tifa's expedition to the island, but he did know that Cissnei was not aware that he was still alive. How she would react to him would have to be seen. In any case, Tobin knew he clould not stand at the door forever, nor sleep on the doorstep.

He knocked on the door.

There was no longer any going back. He could only stay there, and await the consequences.

And then, slowly, the door opened.

Cissnei appeared in the doorway, but it was not the Cissnei he remembered. Her hair was dirty brown. Her eyes were red and baggy. She wore no makeup, and she smelled terrible.

Tobin felt his heart wrenched. He could not believe she was that upset over losing him.

But now, he was back.

Cissnei, meanwhile, began to tremble. Her eyes immediately widened.

"Tobin?" she asked nervously.

"Hi, Cissnei," he greeted. "I'm home."

His roommate and best friend could not believe her eyes.

"Is it really you?" she asked, her voice breaking with anticipation.

"It's me, Cissnei," Tobin replied gently. "It's me."

She immediately threw her arms around him and clutched his body to hers.

Tobin hugged her back, just as tightly. As happy as Cissnei was to see him, Tobin was equally happy to see her.

But when the hug broke, a surprising sight greeted Tobin.

Tears were streaming from both of Cissnei's eyes.

"Cissnei," Tobin observed, "you're crying."

Cissnei touched her face, and realized that it was true.

"I'm just so happy you're home!" she laughed through her tears.

"Me, too," he said.

"Please don't ever do that again!" she sobbed before hugging him again. "I thought I lost you forever!"

"I won't," Tobin promised. "Not ever."

MEANWHILE...

They stopped at Nibelheim. The helicopter gently landed just outside of the southern entrance.

Tifa was the first to get off, followed by Cloud, Zack, and Brian.

Brian stared at the town as tears began to form in his eyes; he thought he would never see it again.

"Welcome home, papa!" Tifa said happily.

The four of them quietly walked into town. The houses, which were now lit inside, greeted them as they entered. It was a peaceful feeling for all four of them.

And then, for one of them, it was shattered.

"Zack Fair!" Yuffie exclaimed a she began to march in his direction. "I haven't seen you in a year! Where the hell have you been?"

"In hiding," Zack replied. "It's good to see you, too, Yuffie."

Yuffie placed her hands on her hips.

"From me?!" she accused.

"From the Shinra," Zack clarified. "They tried to kill me and I had to lay low until they were gone."

"Well," Yuffie continued, "they're not coming back anymore."

"I guess this means I don't have to hide anymore," Zack said.

And then, a smirk appeared on Yuffie's face. The trap was set.

"So Zack," she began, "about those boarding passes I gave you back in Costa del Sol..."

"Oh yeah," remembered Zack sheepishly. "I never did fulfill my part of the bargain."

"You owe me a date, Zachary," she reminded him.

"I haven't forgotten," he admitted.

Yuffie grinned.

"So Cloud and Tifa are getting married tomorrow," she continued. "Would you like to be my date to the wedding?"

"Well..." Zack began.

_I'm twenty-four,_ he thought. _I'm old enough to be her math teacher._

"Well, what?" Yuffie asked impatiently. "We had a deal! The boarding passes for a date!"

_I guess I'm stuck,_ Zack realized.

"You mean as a couple?" he asked.

"For the day," Yuffie clarified. "Until the stroke of midnight."

"For the day?"

"It means you have to dance with me," she clarified. "My dress doesn't have any pockets. Trust me, I couldn't steal from anyone if I wanted."

_Looks like I can't go back on my word,_ he thought. _Why not. It's only one day._

"All right," Zack said. "I'll be your date."

"Hooray!" replied Yuffie as she jumped into the air for joy. "I have a date for the wedding! I have a date for the wedding!"

Cloud overheard that, but it didn't bother him. Yuffie was not the only familiar face he saw. He noticed that Cid and Shera had arrived in Nibelheim, along with Barret and Jessie. In the background, he could see Reeve, Parker, and Sage entering the inn. At the town entrance, Red XIII was coming in.

And then, he turned his attention toward the center of town.

Tifa stood alone by the well. Her now-messy hair was gently blowing in the breeze.

They would be seeing each other the very next day. Still, it somehow felt like something was ending. They would be a married couple.

Cloud slowly approached his fiancée. It would be the final night he would be able to call her that.

"So, after twenty years, its come to this," Tifa began with a smile. Now that Karnak was defeated and her father was rescued, Tifa could now focus her full attention on her wedding to Cloud. "You're staying at Tseng and Elena's, right?"

"That's right," Cloud replied.

"Nervous about tomorrow?" she asked.

"A little," he admitted. "You?"

"A little," she admitted. "But I promise you I'll be the best wife I can be."

Cloud smiled as he gently stroked Tifa's hair.

"I never did say I was sorry," she continued.

"For what?" he asked.

"For scaring you like that when I proposed," she clarified.

"I kind of deserved it," he admitted. "I'm just relieved you took me back."

"Don't worry about that," she assured him. "The past is the past, and the old timeline is gone. After tomorrow, we'll be sealed together for life."

Tifa then smiled briefly, only to suddenly lower her head. A tear escaped her eye.

"What's wrong?" Cloud asked.

"It's going to feel strange not waking up next to you tomorrow," she replied sadly.

"I know," he agreed. "Same here. But, after that, we'll wake up next you every morning."

Tifa raised her head and smiled again.

"Well," she said, "we can't keep our parties waiting."

"You're right," he said as he placed his hands on her hips.

"So I'll see you tomorrow?" she continued.

"I'll see you tomorrow," he replied. "At our wedding."

"I love you," she said.

They kissed long and deeply.

Then, Cloud turned and led Zack into Tseng's house.

He wondered what it would be like to be married to his best friend.

He wondered what she would look like in a wedding dress.

MEANWHILE...

Tifa entered her home to be greeted by her pajama-clad maid of honor.

"There you are!" Elena exclaimed. "Where have you been?"

"Elena," Tifa began with a smile, "I did it."

"You rescued him?!" Elena exclaimed in excitement.

"Along with my cousin, Tobin, and all the other prisoners. Oh, and Zack Fair. He's still alive."

"Who?" Elena asked.

"It's a long story," Tifa replied.

Elena then scanned her outfit.

"You wore those leather pants for your dad?" she asked skeptically.

"For Cloud, mainly," she replied. "I kind of forgot I was somebody's daughter until I saw my dad alive. I know. It's kind of weird, isn't it?"

"What's the big deal?" Elena asked. "I mean, what kind of pants will you be wearing tomorrow night?"

"None!" Tifa laughed, and blushed.

"Exactly," Elena said. "Now, why don't you get changed into your own pajamas and join the rest of the girls in the parlor? It is your last night as a spinster!"

SOMEWHERE ELSE...

Tobin opened the door to his bedroom as Cissnei looked on. She had finished crying, and now had a smile on her face. It was the first time she had smiled since he had left.

"I was going to clean your room and make your bed," she continued, "but it broke my heart every time I touched the knob."

Tobin turned to Cissnei. He still felt terrible. He also felt fortunate to have someone who cared for him like that.

"Can you forgive me?" he requested.

She nodded.

"You know, if you didn't do this and write that journal, Tifa never would have found her father. Not to mention, all the prisoners there are free now."

Tobin smiled back. Then he yawned.

"We do have a wedding to go to tomorrow," she said.

"That's right," Tobin replied.

"After the wedding," she continued, "what do you want to do?"

"Honestly," Tobin answered, "I'd rather stay in for a couple of days. Several weeks without my best friend was way too long."

Cissnei smiled and hugged him again.

"Well, good night," she said with a smile as she turned and made her way toward her bedroom.

As she did so, Tobin could hear her singing. He had never seen Cissnei that happy. It made him realize, once again, how deeply Cissnei cared about him.

And then, she disappeared into her bedroom, closed the door, and locked it.

_Still sleeping like a cartoon animal,_ he thought.

He then turned to his own bed.

_It's good to be home._

_Good to be home._

_Good to be...home._

MEANWHILE...

Brian was upstairs, playing _Fur Elise_ on the piano, as the pajama-clad girls lay on their sleeping bags.

"So about that list I gave you earlier," Elena began. "Were you able to answer every question?"

"You bet I was," Tifa replied as she pulled the list out of her pajama pocket.

"Let's hear it!" Jessie requested.

"Have you found a destination?" Tifa began. "Check. The private island."

"Private island?" Yuffie asked.

"Yeah," Tifa replied. "We decided to spend our honeymoon there. No troubles, and no clothes, either."

"Oooooh, sexy!" Jessie exclaimed.

"How drunk are you going to be?" Tifa continued. "Not drunk at all."

"That's right," Yuffie pointed out. "You're not quite old enough to drink."

"I never thought I'd be getting married at twenty," Tifa admitted. "It's funny how life has other plans for you."

"You can say that again," Jessie said.

Tifa felt sorry for Jessie; she knew that she still had the concept of the timeline fighting back on her mind.

"Have you begin a workout plan?" she continued. "Well, you should have seen me fight Karnak."

"What's going to happen to him?" Shera asked.

"They'll eventually take him to court," Tifa replied. "He'll go to jail for the rest of his life for sure."

"He definitely deserves it," Elena agreed.

"How much ass to I plan to show on the beach?" she paused. "That's a no-brainer. My whole ass!"

The five girls began to laugh in unison.

Elena was the first to fall asleep; she had been exhausted from planning everything. Yuffie crashed second, happy that she had finally found a date for the wedding. Shera went third, followed by Jessie.

Tifa was the only one awake, other than Brian, who was still playing the piano.

She thought about the week.

She had found her father.

She had saved her cousin.

She had saved many prisoners.

But she had nearly paid for it all with her life.

Now, she was hours away from walking down the aisle in her wedding gown.

Tifa thought about the journal she had read as she was fighting for her life.

She had learned more about her cousin, Zack, Cloud, and even herself.

And then, something she had read in the journal struck her mind.

She spent several minutes thinking about it. Then she picked up her phone, only to put it down immediately.

"Tifa, are you serious?" she whispered to herself.

She lay down and tried to go to sleep, but what she had realized was now stuck on her mind. Sitting up, she pulled out her phone.

"Cloud, are you up?" she texted. "There's something we need to discuss."

After a few texts, Tifa put her phone away and lay down again.

And then, she was fast asleep.


	69. The Morning Of

Premonitions II: Crisis Core

Chapter 69: The Morning Of

February 2, 0008

The Wedding Day Arrives

CLOUD

Cloud stirred before anyone else. He had been sleeping on Tseng's living-room couch as he stood up and made his way to the kitchen. Quietly, he poured himself a glass of water and drank it down. He was still amazed at all he had been through in the past seven weeks.

"You're up early," said a familiar voice.

Cloud turned to see Zack entering the kitchen. He was still having a hard time believing that his old friend was still alive.

"I'm a light sleeper," he replied softly.

"What's on your mind?" Zack asked, sensing something was off.

Cloud gave him a solemn look.

"I got a text from Tifa late last night," he replied. "Something I didn't see coming."

Zack gasped, fearing the worst.

"Th-the wedding's still on, right?!" he asked in concern.

"Of course the wedding's still on," Cloud replied.

"But?" Zack asked.

In response Cloud showed him the text.

Zack's eyes widened as he scanned what Tifa had texted Cloud. He had never heard of such an idea in his life.

"You're okay with that?" he asked.

Cloud nodded.

"It's only fair," he replied.

"You think they will be okay with that?" Zack inquired.

"One way to find out," Cloud answered.

"I was suspecting it for a long time," Zack admitted. "A lot of unexpected stuff is happening. I certainly didn't think Yuffie would be my wedding date."

"I didn't know you knew Yuffie," Cloud said.

"Yeah, it was kind of complicated," Zack pointed out. "We made that deal when you were out of it back in Costa del Sol. She gave me boarding passes for a barge to the Eastern Continent in exchange for a date."

"Listen, Zack," Cloud began, "I tried to be your living legacy, but I kind of screwed it up. I ended up thinking I _was_ you. I was telling everyone I was in SOLDIER. And there was worse, believe me."

"You came to your senses, didn't you?" Zack asked.

"Only when Sephiroth showed me a vision of you entering Nibelheim, and told me a made-up story that I was created five years ago," Cloud replied.

"You mean like Karnak?" Zack inquired.

"So that's where he got the idea," Cloud realized aloud. "So Sephiroth actually survived the Nibelheim incident, and-"

"Cloud," Zack interjected, "I know we have a lot of catching up to do. But for now, you need to marry the girl of your dreams. I've never seen Tifa so happy until you two were finally together."

"Neither have I," Cloud agreed.

"Did she ever find out that was you at Nibelheim?" Zack asked.

"She sure did," Cloud replied.

"I see Tseng's mellowed out and found a girlfriend," Zack observed. "You should've known him while I was looking for Genesis."

"He has changed," Cloud said. "He wound up a groomsman for the wedding."

"And who's your best man?" Zack continued.

Cloud rolled his shoulders and looked at Zack sheepishly. It was time to tell him.

"Well," he replied, "this is where it gets really complicated. You are."

"I am?!" Zack exclaimed.

"Well," Cloud continued. "I thought you were dead, and Tifa told me about all you did for me when I was a vegetable. So I made you my best man in absentia. But now, you're no longer absent."

"I'm honored, Cloud," Zack finally said. "But...what do I have to do?"

"It's short notice, I know," Cloud replied. "Look, just stand by my side as I take my vows."

"That's it?" Zack asked.

"That's it," Cloud answered.

It was all he needed. Zack had given him so much already.

Cloud felt truly blessed to have a friend like Zack.

But he felt even more blessed to be marrying Tifa. She had been his best friend for twenty years. She had stood beside him for all that time, and had even proposed to him after he had gone astray.

He felt like the luckiest man alive.

SAGE

Reeve awoke to the sight of Sage, standing on her bed, in her pajamas and twirling a baton. He was surprised to see such a sight; nobody, to his knowledge, had taught her how to twirl. She was graceful and beautiful at the same time. Reeve could watch it all day; he did not even object to his daughter standing on the bed.

A couple of minutes later, when Parker awoke, it was another story.

"What are you doing up there?!" he demanded.

"Twirling!" Sage giggled.

"Get down from there before you break your neck!" Parker demanded.

Sage immediately jumped down to the floor.

"People below probably heard that," Reeve said.

"What made you bring that here, anyway?" Parker inquired.

"I can't dance," Sage replied. "So I'll twirl my baton when everybody's dancing. That way, I can at least do something instead of just standing there."

"Where did you learn to do that?" Parker asked.

"It just came naturally," she replied as she blinked her beautiful green eyes. "It's a great way I can get noticed!"

"Noticed?" asked Reeve.

"In case there's a cute boy or girl there who might want to make a date with me," Sage explained.

"Sage," began Parker, "how old are you?"

"Eleven," she replied. "Why?"

"I think you're a little to young to think about dating," Parker replied. "Wait until you're thirteen or fourteen."

"But Cloud and Tifa knew each other when they were eleven!" Sage protested.

"That's different," Reeve insisted. "Cloud and Tifa weren't even a couple until three weeks ago."

"So maybe I can get married three weeks from now!" she exclaimed.

"Cloud and Tifa are a unique case," Reeve explained. "They knew each other for most of Cloud's life and all of Tifa's. They might have only been a couple for three weeks, but their feelings were around much longer. You'll understand when your older."

Sage lowered her head in sheer disappointment.

Reeve got up out of bed, went up to his daughter, and lifted her chin up.

"Be a kid," he commanded with a smile. "Cloud and Tifa had a whole childhood before they got together. Maybe sometime they could show your their birthday and Halloween pictures. They go back a long time."

"Okay," she said softly.

Reeve stroked her hair. He realized that she looked exactly like him, except for the chestnut hair, and the beautiful, green eyes. Someday, he would tell her of her origins.

"Oh, dad?" began Sage. "One more thing?"

"Go ahead," Reeve permitted.

"Is it true all the couples are going to make sex after the wedding?" she asked.

Reeve sighed and put his hand in his face.

"Go shower and get dressed," he sighed. "Your dress is hanging in the bathroom."

Sage shrugged her shoulders and began to make her way to the bathroom. Halfway there, she happened to pass the television. Unable to resist, Sage switched it on.

"Tonight at nine," the trailer announced, "in the television event of the decade: Putty the Little Dog is Putty the Little Dog in _Behind Enemy Gas._"

"Ew!" exclaimed Sage. "That show is so disgusting!"

Reeve immediately ran over and snapped off the television.

"Don't worry, I don't want to watch it," she assured him. "No girl in her right mind would!"

"Shower, now!" he exclaimed. "And get your dress on!"

Sage huffed and marched to the bathroom, slamming the door shut after arriving.

TIFA

Tifa was out cold on the parlor sofa. She had been up late that night, with what she had texted Cloud on her mind. She did eventually fall asleep shortly before midnight, and was still asleep at ten.

Elena stood over her. As her maid of honor, it was her job to make sure she was up at a decent time.

"Bride," she whispered.

Tifa's eyes slowly opened, and Elena, along with her other surroundings, peacefully came into focus. Elena, Yuffie, Shera, and Jessie were all awake, having all already cleaned up, and were wearing robes that shimmered and showed off their legs quite generously.

And then, it hit her.

_This is my wedding day!_ she realized. _Today's the day Cloud and I get married!_

"Do I have to?" Tifa laughed with a big, beautiful smile on her face.

"Unless you want to get hitched in your PJs," Elena replied.

Tifa, still smiling, rose to her feet. It felt as if she had been waiting for this day forever. The reality was setting in.

"I'd rather not," Tifa replied. "A wedding dress is one of the few places I remain traditional."

"Go and shower," Elena commanded. "It's your last chance to be naked alone for a while."

Tifa blushed and nodded.

_That_ reality was setting in as well.

LATER...

Tifa returned to the parlor in a white bridal robe that read "Mrs." on the back. Much like her bridesmaids' robes, it was rather short, but it did not bother Tifa as long as nobody could see her underwear. She quietly sat in the chair and let her bridesmaids take it from that point as the grandfather clock chimed the hours that the unmarried Tifa Lockheart would hear for the final time.

It was Jessie who applied the makeup as the clock chimed eleven.

"This is the girliest thing you'll ever see me do," she said.

She applied the blush and the mascara. She applied the lipstick and eyeliner.

Tifa had never worn so much makeup in her life, and did not expect to ever again. She was never a makeup or jewelry person; she had not even had her ears pierced until she was nineteen.

Once the makeup was applied, Shera began to paint Tifa's nails, both on her fingers and her toes a bright red.

The clock chimed twelve; she would take her vows at three.

Tifa realized she had never looked more feminine in her life. She remembered growing up more or less a tomboy, and, even as an adult, refrained from adhering to traditional gender roles as much as humanly possible. But today, she was content with being a lady.

That was ruined, however, as the television, which had happened to be on, intruded in the atmosphere.

"Tonight at nine," the trailer announced, "in the television event of the decade: Putty the Little Dog is Putty the Little dog in _Behind Enemy Gas._"

"That's the only downside to this day," Tifa sighed. "I'll have to stream _Behind Enemy Gas_ when we get home."

"You find that funny?" Jessie asked. "That show's gross!"

"That's hilarious!" Tifa insisted. "I kill myself laughing every time!"

That was a thing about Tifa; as much as she loved horror movies, she loved low comedy.

"Even I think that show's immature," Yuffie pointed out. "But whatever floats your boat."

"Hey," Elena said, "as long as it makes Cloud happy, right?"

"I suppose," Yuffie agreed.

Elena was right; Cloud accepted Tifa's love for low comedy and all of her other crazy antics. She realized how lucky she was to have him.

"Hey," added Shera, "I'm an NWV and Cid still loves me!"

"An NWV?" asked Jessie.

"Nerd with a vagina," Shera clarified.

Tifa laughed.

She then turned her head towards the patio. It seemed as if the altar was calling her.

TOBIN

Tobin awoke later in the morning. He was somewhat surprised to be waking up in his own bed in his own room; for the past several weeks, he had been sleeping on an uncomfortable mattress and confined to a small space. Whenever he had awoken then, he had to treat each and every day as if it would be his last. But now, he was home.

He made his way to the bathroom and showered, dressing for the wedding afterward. He laughed at himself; there were times he had thought it would be pointless to write the journal. Now he was relieved that he had; otherwise, he would be waking up this morning still in his cell on the sixth floor of the Island Gulag, missing his cousin's wedding. And, eventually, he would die there.

As he exited his bedroom and stepped into the common area, a pleasing sight greeted his eyes.

Cissnei was standing there, having showered herself. She was no longer the disheveled individual he had met the night before. Her hair had gone from a dirty brown to the reddish brown he had been familiar with. She was wearing a yellow spaghetti-strap dress that stopped above her knees, with heels to match. He could smell her perfume from the other end of the room. It was the girliest he had ever seen her dress.

"Hey!" she greeted with a smile.

How she looked had really gotten Tobin by surprise.

"What happened?" he asked, of course referring to her return to normal.

"You came back," she replied with a smile. "That's what happened!" She then went up to Tobin and hugged him. "Sorry if I hug you too much," she apologized, "but I need to be sure this is not a dream."

"It's not," Tobin replied. "No need to apologize. It's better than pinching me."

In response, Cissnei playfully reached behind Tobin's neck and pinched the back of it.

"Hey!" he playfully exclaimed.

Cissnei simply smiled.

"Come on, best friend," she said happily. "Let's go watch your cousin get married."

Tobin nodded with a smile. Tifa was the closest he had to a sister; he was looking forward to seeing her live happily ever after.

"Your parents will be there, won't they?" she asked.

"I think so," he replied.

"Won't they be happy to see you!" she exclaimed. "And I finally get to meet them."

"They'll like you," he said. "If Zack's parents liked you, mine will."

Cissnei smiled, took her car keys, and happily made her way out the door.

Tobin remained standing alone in the apartment, scanning his surroundings. He really was home. It was a good feeling, but...

"Tobin!" Cissnei reprimanded in a friendly manner, poking her head in the doorway. "You don't want to miss your cousin walk down the aisle, do you? She's going to be a beautiful bride!"

"Sorry," Tobin apologized. "My mind was elsewhere."

"No worries," she assured him. "You've been through a lot."

"I'm coming," he said as he followed his friend out the door.

"So I was thinking," Cissnei continued as they walked down the hall, "after the wedding, want to go to Xing for karaoke? We haven't done that in a while."

"Sure," Tobin replied softly. "I'd like that."

And then, suddenly, Cissnei firmly grabbed his arm.

"Sorry," she apologized. "I tripped. I'm not used to wearing heels."

She was able to walk the rest of the way on her own.

To Tobin, it was almost like he had never been captured.

It was a good feeling to be home, but...something in Tobin's mind...bothered him...


	70. Arrivals

Premonitions II: Crisis Core

Chapter 70: Arrivals

February 2, 0008

The Wedding Day Arrives

CLOUD

Cloud stood in his backyard. It was one in the afternoon, and the time he and Tifa would be taking their vows under the arch was drawing closer. It was a beautiful day; there was not a cloud in the sky.

There were features in the backyard, other than the arch, of course. There were the seats that Elena and Tseng had carefully arranged by the arch. Near the eastern edge of the backyard, a tent was set up. Inside the tent, there were tables set up, complete with plates and utensils, along with an empty space set aside for a dance floor.

Cloud and all of his present groomsmen, Barret, Cid, Vincent, Tseng, and Zack (Reeve was on his way), had cleaned up and dressed, and one of them had already begun making his judgements.

"My God," Cid whispered.

"What?" Barret asked.

"Vincent," replied Cid. "Look at him!"

"He looks jus' like the rest of us," Barret said.

"He looks like he's at his own wake!" Cid exclaimed, noticing Vincent's lack of skin tone.

"Just get use' to it," Barret whispered. "He's technically dead."

Just then, Reeve arrived, along with Parker and Sage.

"Did I miss anything?" he asked.

"Not a thing," Barret replied. "Tseng and Elena did everything yesterday morning."

"We're basically table decorations," Cid added.

"It's that easy?" Sage asked. She was wearing a strapless burgundy dress and carrying her baton.

"Not usually," Reeve answered. "This wedding had less than a week to plan."

"What's that thing?" Cid asked, noticing the baton.

"It's what I dance with," she replied. She then began to twirl.

"And that just came naturally," Reeve said.

The non-party guests began to gradually arrive.

Red XIII came first. He seemed to have had his coat groomed.

"Hi, everyone," he greeted. He then went over to Cloud. "Congratulations," he said.

"Thank you," Cloud replied.

"I was hoping for this day," Red XIII continued. "I knew you two were meant for each other ever since you rescued me from that lab."

"Thanks," Cloud said. "But how did you know that?"

"I have really good hearing," Red XIII answered.

"Holy shit!" Cid suddenly exclaimed.

"Watch your mouth!" Sage reprimanded.

"What's wrong, anyway?" Barret asked.

"Hell has frozen over," Cid replied. "Reno is wearing a tie."

"And his shirt is tucked in!" Red XIII added.

In came Reno, wearing a gray suit with a red tie, with a blond stranger on his arm.

"This is Tara," he introduced. "Tara, this is Red XIII, Barret, Reeve, Parker, Cid, Vincent, and, the man of the hour, Cloud."

As Tara was meeting everyone, Rude appeared in the backyard, also with a blond stranger, who looked identical to Tara.

"This is Kara," Rude introduced. "Kara, this is Red XIII, Barret, Reeve, Parker, Cid, Vincent, and, the lucky bastard, Cloud."

"Are you twins?" Sage asked.

"We are," Tara replied. "We met our boys at the pub last night."

A few minutes later, Cloud peeked inside the tent. He noticed there was a small sheet of paper at every seat at every table.

"Is that one of those quizzes?" Zack, who had followed him in, asked.

"What quizzes?" Cloud inquired. "I wouldn't know. Honestly, I've never actually been to a wedding."

"They have these quizzes about the bride and the groom for guest to take while the happy couple is getting their pictures taken," Zack explained.

"I see," said Cloud.

"Who is older? I don't know that," Zack said as he picked one of the slips up. "I assume it's you?"

"You're right," Cloud replied. "I'm the older one by nine months."

"Who said 'I love you' first?" Zack continued. "I'm guessing it was her? She did propose."

"It was," Cloud confirmed. "She said it on the bridge of the Highwind right after I stopped thinking I was you."

"Who's the better driver?"

"That's a good one," Cloud answered. "I don't really know."

"I've never seen either of you drive," Zack replied. "Has anyone?"

"Just Barret, Red XIII, Reeve, and Yuffie," Cloud replied. "I'm sure opinions vary."

"Who's more of a thrill seeker?" Zack continued. "Who's needier when they're sick? I do know the answer to that one."

"Hey!" Cloud exclaimed.

"It sounds like I missed a lot," Zack pointed out. He then noticed that Cloud was quiet. "Nervous?"

"A little," Cloud admitted. "But it's better than the alternative."

"Alternative?" asked the perplexed Zack as he scratched his head.

"Remember how Lechar said we're living in alternate timeline?"

Zack nodded.

"In the original timeline," Cloud continued, "neither of us admitted our feelings for each other, and Tifa eventually married somebody else."

"Ouch!" Zack exclaimed. "You'll have to tell me more when you're back from your honeymoon."

Just then, Uncle Albert and Aunt Lara arrived.

Cloud and Zack returned to the outdoors to greet them.

"There's my future nephew-in-law!" greeted Uncle Albert.

"We're sorry Tobin couldn't come," Aunt Lara added. "God only knows where he's gone."

"I saw him yesterday," Cloud informed them.

"You did?!" Uncle Albert exclaimed.

Cloud nodded.

"Is he alright?" asked Aunt Lara.

"He's fine," Cloud assured her. "He should be here any minute."

Uncle Albert then took a look at Zack.

"You look a lot like one of Tobin's buddies," he pointed out.

"That would be me," Zack corrected.

"Wait a minute," Uncle Albert said. "_You're_ Zack?"

Zack nodded.

"But I heard Zack died," Aunt Lara added.

"I did," Zack confirmed. "Tobin's other buddy was good enough to bring me back. And I've been hiding out in Cosmo Canyon ever since so the Shinra wouldn't go after me. You know what they say, 'only a moron would try to kill something that's already dead.'"

Cloud smiled as he looked on. Everything was falling into place perfectly. Now, all there was to do was wait. He glanced at the patio door; Tifa would be emerging from there shortly.

And then, Tobin himself showed up.

TOBIN

"Tobin Lockheart!" Uncle Albert exclaimed as he marched over to his son.

_Oh, shit,_ Tobin thought.

This was, indeed, an inevitability. He was happy to see his parents, for sure, but he knew he might get grilled.

"We haven't heard from you in forever!" Aunt Lara exclaimed as she followed Uncle Albert. "We thought something happened to you! Did you know Tifa was trying to reach you?"

"I'm okay," Tobin assured them. "Mostly."

"That's good to hear," Uncle Albert said. "I thought you might have wandered off to the Island Gulag or something worse."

_He's still got it,_ Tobin thought. _Always catching what I'm doing._

"I did wander off to the Island Gulag," Tobin sheepishly admitted. "But no worries. Tifa rescued me, along with Uncle Brian."

Uncle Albert gasped.

"He's alive?!" he exclaimed. "My brother's alive?!"

"He sure is," Tobin confirmed. "He's inside, but you'll see him walking Tifa down the aisle soon."

Uncle Albert wiped his forehead.

"So Brian's been alive all this time," he said. "Was he at the Island Gulag?"

"He sure was," Tobin replied. "With minimal damage."

"Wow!" sighed Uncle Albert. "That's amazing! And Tifa rescued him?"

"You got it," Tobin answered. "She went through a lot of trouble. She found out where the Island Gulag was by reading my journal."

"So you helped, too," Uncle Albert observed.

"Kind of," Tobin admitted. "I just really gave her a place to look."

"We are oud of you, son," Uncle Albert declared. "Thanks for saving my sleazy brother."

"You can definitely catch up with him once the vows are exchanged," Tobin assured him.

And then, Uncle Albert and Aunt Lara directed their attention to the red-haired woman standing next to him.

"And you are?" greeted Uncle Albert.

"Cissnei," she replied with a smile.

"You're the Cissnei we've been hearing about?" asked Aunt Lara. She then reached out and hugged her. "Thanks for being such a good friend to my baby," she whispered.

"Don't mention it," Cissnei happily replied.

Tobin, meanwhile, took his eyes to the seats near the altar. His parents would embarrass him sooner or later.

Cissnei took the hint.

"Which is the bride's side and which is the groom's?" she asked.

"Either or," Tobin replied. "All their friends are mutual." He then turned towards his parents. "We're going to take our seats," he announced.

"No problem," Uncle Albert replied. "We'll catch up to you."

With that, he turned and made his way toward the seats.

"It was nice meeting you," Cissnei said before following him.

"She's beautiful," Aunt Lara whispered.

Tobin and Cissnei took their seats in the third row to the left of the aisle. Red XIII had also taken his seat, as had Parker and Sage. Soon, the seats would all be full. As it turned out, Elena had invited just about everyone Cloud and Tifa had encountered.

"So Tobin," Cissnei began as she folded her hands in her lap, "what do you plan on doing now that the Shinra's gone?"

Tobin realized that he had not considered that. He would need to find a job.

"That's a good question," he replied. "I'm usually good at figuring things like this out."

Cissnei then got an idea.

"Would you publish your journal?" she suggested.

"It saved my ass," Tobin admitted. "I suppose I could share it with the world."

"It could make you a lot of money," she said. "I know it would sell. People hate Shinra now and would eat up anything that was critical of them."

Tobin smiled.

"I never thought of that," he said. "Maybe I can become a novelist or something."

He realized that he might want to remove some of the intimate details.

"The only downside would be that it would have a sad ending," Cissnei continued.

She did have a point; the journal did not document his rescue. As far as anyone could tell, he died at the Island Gulag. He did need to confirm that he was still alive.

"I'll have to write a sequel, then," Tobin replied. "The first one does end on a cliffhanger."

"No kidding," Cissnei agreed.

"My incarceration at the Island Gulag would take up about ten chapters," Tobin theorized out loud. "The escape might take up another three. I think thirteen chapters is kind of a rip-off. Come to think of it, I might as well tag them on to the journal. But the ending would kind of suck."

"What do you mean?" asked Cissnei.

She wondered what could possibly be wrong with a memoir ending in Tobin's escape. It would satisfy the readers with his fate.

"It would have to end with Cloud and Tifa's wedding," Tobin explained. "Cloud doesn't appear until halfway through the journal. Tifa doesn't appear until two thirds in. I've got myself, Zack, you, Cloud, Tifa, Cid, Yuffie, and Vincent. And Tseng, Reno and Rude. All the other supporting characters are dead. That's kind of a downer. It certainly won't have that strong of an ending."

"That is true," she observed, realizing that they were not very prominent early on in the journal.

Then, Tobin realized the perfect ending.

"Maybe I'll just leave out the wedding and end it with reuniting with my best friend," he decided. "Yeah, that's what I'll do."

Cissnei smiled and affectionately rubbed his shoulder. She felt flattered that she was important enough to him to end his journal that way.

Tobin, however, was not quite sure. It was a strong ending, but not strong enough.

He was, of course, happy to be reunited with Cissnei. Still, something about it didn't feel right. To him, something about their reunion felt...unfinished.

TIFA

As the parlor clock chimed two in the afternoon, Tifa was still sitting in her chair. All her makeup had been applied. She had even been given a pair of diamond earrings and a necklace to match; they had belonged to her mother. There was nothing more to be done, with one exception.

Jessie, meanwhile, had gone upstairs. It was not something Tifa had really taken notice of, but when she returned, she was wearing her beautiful blue bridesmaid dress. Shera and Yuffie then went upstairs to put theirs on.

It was that point when Elena noticed Tifa breathing heavier. More reality was setting in. But...this was unusual for the typically brave and confident Tifa.

"You okay?" Elena asked.

"I...think so," Tifa replied, her exhales becoming audible.

Elena looked at her friend skeptically. She was becoming able to read her like a book.

"You're nervous," she observed.

"No," Tifa insisted. "I'm not."

Elena was not convinced.

"It's okay," she assured her. "Look, it's just a little anxiety."

"Okay," Tifa admitted as she blushed, "I'm nervous. And I've never been this nervous before. I don't know why. It wasn't even this nervous when I turned myself to stone."

"It's a new experience for you," Elena informed her. "Marrying the man you truly love."

Tifa realized that Elena had a point; she had married Bo in the old timeline out of fear of dying alone. Now, she was marrying Cloud for love. It was a completely different situation.

"That's one thing," Tifa admitted in a nervous tone of voice. "I guess it just didn't hit me until now. There's just so much on my mind!"

"Shhhh," Elena whispered as she rubbed Tifa's shoulder. "Just talk it off."

"What if he gets cold feet?" Tifa asked nervously.

"He won't," Elena assured her. "You said he saw the future where you two didn't get together and he hated it, right?"

"I suppose," Tifa replied. "But I'm a little worried that the text might drive him away."

"What text?" Elena asked.

Tifa silently pulled out her cell phone and showed Elena.

"I sent it to him last night," she said.

Elena scanned the dialogue.

"Hmm," she said. "Nobody I know has _ever_ done _that_ before. But if he didn't approve of it, he would have just said no. And that didn't even happen."

Tifa paused, and looked Elena in the eyes.

"What do you think of it?" she asked.

"It's your wedding," Elena replied. "If it makes you happy, then go for it."

"I guess I'm also worried that Karnak might show up and ruin everything," Tifa added.

"I don't think so," Elena insisted. "Because he's still sitting in that cell, wondering what he did wrong."

Tifa began to notice that she was beginning to feel better. She realized that Elena was right; talking it off was helping.

"And I have this weird feeling in the back of my head that Sephiroth might pop up and attack us," she continued.

"That definitely won't happen," Jessie replied as she pulled something out of her duffel bag and showed it to Tifa.

"What is it?" Tifa asked.

"Barret created it," Jessie replied. "It's a Sephiroth cam!"

Tifa looked at the device. Sure enough, it displayed Sephiroth, still a stone statue and at the bottom of the Nibel Reactor.

At that moment, Yuffie and Shera returned, wearing their dresses as well.

"What if I get my vows wrong?" Tifa asked.

Elena simply smiled.

"Would you care?" she asked. "You'll still marry Cloud, either way."

"True," Tifa agreed. "I guess I just want this to be...perfect."

"No wedding's perfect," Elena insisted. "I've been to plenty. I went to one wedding that had to be postponed five months because the original date was snowed out. I went to another one where the best man died shortly before the wedding. There was yet another one I went to where the ring bearer dropped the ring and broke it. Finally, there was one where the groom got robbed on the wedding night. And that's just the people I know. But, you know what? They all happily look back on their wedding day just the same."

Tifa, by this point, felt better. If someone had told her a mere week ago that she and Elena would be friends, she probably would have laughed. But now, she had become her best female friend. She considered herself fortunate to have her in her life.

"But with that being said," Elena continued, "I think I need to get my dress on." She then took both of Tifa's hands in hers and pulled her to her feet. "And you," she added.

Tifa nodded.

Elena led the way up the stairs and into the old master bedroom. She went into the closet and took out the garment bag that contained Tifa's wedding dress and handed it to the bride.

"So here comes the tricky part," Elena began. "Traditionally, we help you into your dress, but I respect how you value your privacy. It's up to you."

Tifa smiled. Elena, even if she did not understand her, respected her just the same.

"I'll put it on," Tifa said. "If I need adjustments after it covers my boobs and underwear, I'll let you know."

Elena smiled back.

"Well then," she said, "the bride needs to get ready. We've got less than an hour left."

"Thanks," said Tifa. "For everything."

She then turned, went to her bedroom, and closed the door behind her.


	71. Vows

Premonitions II: Crisis Core

Chapter 71: Vows

February 2, 0008

The Wedding Day Arrives

The final guests had arrived by 2:45. To Cloud's amazement, all of the seats were full. The reason for this was, at Tifa's authorization, Elena had invited quite a few people that Cloud and Tifa had only encountered once or twice in their lives. As Cloud and Tifa were practically celebrities for saving the world, nobody would pass up the opportunity to watch them get married.

The people they had encountered in Mideel were in attendence, as was Skrug. Dio was there, along with Joe and Ester from Gold Saucer. Some of Bugenhagen's attendants were there as well. Johnny was even present, along with Yuffie's family, and even the dress maker from Wall Market. It was once incredible reunion.

The greatest stunner among the guests caught Cloud by surprise. Since they needed a ring bearer, Elena had found an orphan to serve the job. But when Cloud saw him for the first time, it turned out that it was not the first time...at least not for Cloud.

"Hi!" greeted the seven-year-old boy. "My name's Denzel! I'll be your ring bearer!"

Cloud was stunned and rather ecstatic to see him. When he had seen him last, he had been...but that no longer mattered. Cloud realized that this was no time to dwell on a timeline that no longer existed.

"It's nice to meet you, Denzel," Cloud replied as he stepped forward and shook hands with him.

The last person to arrive was the obligatory officiant, Bismarck, the Continental Governor. She was dressed in a white pant-suit.

"There's the happy groom!" she greeted.

And then, it was three. The entire backyard could hear the town square clock booming out the hour. The remaining guests took their seats.

_It's time,_ Cloud thought to himself. _My bride will be here any minute._

Before that could happen, of course, the procession would have to begin. Barret was the first to come down the aisle, followed by Cid, Reeve, Vincent, and finally Tseng. They stood in line near the altar, to the right.

Then down the aisle came Zack, which resulted in whispers from many guests who were surprised to see that he was, in fact, alive. He was still getting used to that.

Cloud was the next to come down the aisle, resulting in a few applause and cheers from the guests.

Next was Bismarck, the Continental Governor. As word of the Island Gulag had spread through the internet like a wildfire, she received no applause whatsoever. People were already taking bets on how long she would be in prison for her part in the cover-up.

After that, it was the bridesmaids' turn. Jessie came first, followed by Shera (who gave Cid a wink as she walked by), who was, in turn, followed by Yuffie (who gave Zack a smirk as she walked by, reminding him that he was her date). Last came Elena, the maid of honor.

Marlene then slowly came down the aisle, gently spreading flower petals on the ground.

_It's really started_, Cloud realized. _I want to see Tifa._

Denzel followed, with both of the rings. He stood beside Cloud at the alter.

There had been typical wedding music playing over the speakers throughout the procession, but Cloud barely noticed. He was too focused on the patio door, waiting for it to open. He wondered what her dress would look like. He only noticed when the music stopped. That meant that the procession was finished. Everyone involved in the wedding was perfectly in place.

Except for one.

And then, the Bach Cantata began to play.

Every seated guest rose to their feet, and directed their attention to the patio door.

Tifa was standing there, with her left arm locked with Brian's right. Both of her hands carried a bouquet of flowers. Her wedding gown was a strapless A-line, which covered the ground like a blanket as she began to walk down the aisle. She looked incredibly beautiful.

Cloud stared in awe at the beautiful woman walking down the aisle to marry him. She stepped closer to the alter by the moment. And then, they would be each other's for the rest of their lives.

She had a look of strong emotion on her face as she drew closer to the altar. She was so happy she wanted to cry, now that her marriage to Cloud, after all they had been through, was finally happening.

She was twenty feet from the altar.

Then, fifteen feet.

Ten.

It was then that Tifa noticed the ring bearer.

_Elena told me she had found an orphan to be in the wedding,_ she thought. _But, my God, is that...Denzel?!_

On a closer look, she could tell that it was.

But there would be time to focus on that later. Now, she would focus on Cloud. In a few minutes time, she would be his wife.

She was five feet from the altar.

And, finally, she was there.

Brian smiled warmly as he pulled the veil up and kissed his daughter on the cheek. He then, putting the past behind them completely, firmly shook Cloud's hand, and took his seat.

The cantata finished playing.

Cloud and Tifa faced the Continental Governor. Their time had come.

"Friends and family," Bismark began. "Thank you all for coming on a day that I think is safe to say we've all been waiting for and looking forward to for a long, long time. Please be seated."

The guests quietly sat down. All eyes were focused on the altar.

"Cloud was born," the Continental Governor continued, "right here in Nibelheim, on August 19, 1986. Nine months later, on May 3, 1987, right next door, Tifa followed. Since that day, they have been the best of friends. They were best friends during their childhood. They were best friends during their adolescence. And, as adults, a mere three weeks ago, they were still the best of friends. But then, one night, on the bridge of the Highwind, it all changed. They both admitted that they were in love with each other, and, from that moment on, they were a couple. A short time later, they began to talk about getting married. Sadly, as life does not always work out in its most desired way, they went their separate ways. But fate brought them together again, and Tifa, getting down on one knee, asked Cloud if he would be her husband. That was only a week ago. As they had mutually decided that life was too short to wait any longer, they selected this day to commit their lives to each other."

Bismarck then began to address Cloud and Tifa.

"Please face each other and hold hands," she commanded.

Cloud turned to face his bride and lovingly took her hands in his.

"Cloud, please repeat after me," the Continental Governor began. "I, Cloud Strife," began Bismarck.

"I, Cloud Strife," he repeated.

_Here we go,_ he thought.

"Take you to be my wife," she continued.

"Take you to be my wife."

_I can finally call her that._

"To have and to hold."

"To have and to hold."

"For better or for worse."

"For better or for worse."

_We've already been through the worst,_ he realized. _It can only get better._

"For richer or poorer."

"For richer or poorer."

"In sickness and in health."

"In sickness and in health."

He thought of the time Tifa had found him exhausted at the Sector Seven Station. He also thought about the time she had put his mind back together.

"And forsaking all others."

"And forsaking all others."

"To love, honor, and cherish."

"To love, honor, and cherish."

He did all three already.

"For as long as we both shall live."

"For as long as we both shall live."

He did not know how long he would live, but he knew that Tifa would be there from now on.

Bismark then turned toward Tifa. "I, Tiffany Clare Lockheart," she began.

"I, Tiffany Clare Lockheart," Tifa repeated.

"Take you to be my husband."

"Take you to be my husband."

_My husband,_ Tifa thought. _I've so much wanted to call him that forever._

"To have and to hold."

"To have and to hold," the bride repeated.

"For better or for worse."

"For better or for worse."

_No matter how bad things might ever get,_ Tifa thought, _we'll support each other through it all._

"For richer or poorer," continued Bismarck.

"For richer or poorer," Tifa repeated.

_I will always feel rich with him, no matter how much money we have._

"In sickness and in health."

"In sickness and in health."

_If Cloud does ever get sick_, Tifa thought, _I will always be there to hold him._

"And forsaking all others."

"And forsaking all others."

"To love, honor, and cherish."

"To love, honor, and cherish."

_That's the one thing I know for sure I can do in my life._

"For as long as we both shall live."

"For as long as we both shall live," Tifa finished.

That was the end of the vows.

Both Cloud and Tifa stood in silence, still holding each other's hands, awaiting for what would come next.

"May I please have the rings?" the Continental Governor requested.

Denzel handed her the rings.

She then handed the first ring to Cloud.

"Tifa," Cloud began, "you've been my best friend ever since I first saw you as a baby sitting on your mother's lap. You're a part of all the memories I have. Every birthday, every Halloween, every pivotal moment in my childhood, you were there. In fact, it wouldn't be my life without you. You gave me your best, even when I was at my worst. As a sign of my love, that I have chosen you, above all else, with this ring, I thee wed."

He then took Tifa's left hand, and gently slid the band on her ring finger.

Tifa's heart began to accelerate as she felt the weight of the ring on her finger; they were nearly married now. All that was left was for her to give him his ring. What Cloud had said touched her deeply; she knew that, for him, that took a lot. She felt slightly guilty that she had prepared so much more.

"I'll try to keep this a short as possible," Tifa began. "But I can't promise that, since I have so much to say. Cloud, I proposed to you because I wanted you to know how special you are to me. I still can't believe that only a month ago we were just friends. And now we're here at the altar, about to spend the rest of our lives together. As a child, I was the only girl in town who never went to dance class and played with action figures and video games instead of dolls, so I'm not surprised that my best friend would turn out to be a boy. But I never could have guessed what it would grow into. Cloud, you are my rock. I feel safe going to sleep at night because I know you'll be there next to me when I wake up. I feel happy about going home because I know you're going to be there when I walk in the door. I feel content growing old, because I know you'll be growing old with me. As a sign of my love, that I have chosen you, above all else, with this ring, I thee wed."

Reaching out a slightly trembling hand, Tifa took Cloud's left hand in hers, and slipped the ring on.

They were almost there. There was just one last, small detail.

Cloud's heart was pounding.

So was Tifa's.

The Continental Governor then turned to the audience, and opened her mouth.

_This is it!_ Tifa thought. _Just a few seconds more!_

"By the power vested in me by the authority of the Western Continent," Bismarck declared, "I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss your bride."

Tifa immediately leaned in and pressed her lips against Cloud's. She then threw her arms around him and buried her head in his shoulder.

They had done it.

They were married.

Tifa could not describe the joy she was feeling at that moment.

The Continental Governor turned to the crowd.

"It is my honored privilege," she began, "to present to you for the very first time, Mr. and Mrs. Strife."

And the guests roared with cheers.

MINUTES LATER...

Cloud and Tifa were taken to the town square for pictures. Upon arriving there, Tifa requested a few moments alone with her new husband from the photographer. As soon as they were by themselves, she placed her hands on Cloud's shoulders and tenderly kissed him. She then lovingly pressed her forehead against his as he gently wrapped his arms around her waist.

Tifa initially attempted to contain her emotions, but, ultimately, lost her ability to do so.

"My God, we're married!" she exclaimed. "We actually did it!"

Cloud, never one for words, said the one thing that truly mattered.

"I love you," he said.

"Oh, Cloud," his new wife replied, "I love you so much!"

The newlyweds kissed again.

After the kiss was broken, Tifa directed her attention to the wedding band that was now on her ring finger.

"We'll never be apart again," she said happily.

"No," Cloud replied. "We won't."

Tifa glanced again at her wedding ring. She then glanced at Cloud's. She wanted to cry in happiness, but she restrained herself as best as she could.

"After all we've been through," she said, holding her tears back, "here we are!"

Cloud and Tifa kissed again.

A moment later, the photographer returned, taking various pictures of the happy couple. The one that stood out to then was one he took of them sitting at the well, just like they used to when they were children.

After many pictures were taken, the clock struck four.

"I guess it's time to get back," Cloud suggested.

"Absolutely!" Tifa agreed with a smile. "We'll have our first dance, cut the cake, and toss the bouquet and garter."

"Sounds perfect," he said.

"After that..." she began with a smirk.

Cloud could quickly tell what she was thinking.

"That's when you want to do...that thing?" he asked.

Tifa nodded.

"Cloud," she began, "are you sure you're okay with it? I thought I might actually drive you away when I texted it to you last night."

"I'm sure," he replied. "It's a wonderful thing to do."

Smiling, husband and wife took each other's hands and made their way back to the venue.


	72. And Afterward

Premonitions II: Crisis Core

Chapter 72: And Afterward

February 2, 0008

4:00 p.m.

By the time Cloud and Tifa returned to their backyard, everyone had gone inside the tent to take their seats at their tables. The newlywed couple, not wishing to neglect their guests, entered the tent to enormous applause and a standing ovation.

Tifa was beyond touched.

_It looks like the whole world wanted this!_ she thought.

The happy couple made their way to the empty dance floor. And then, Cloud and Tifa embraced each other and began their first dance. They had selected a song from the old world, one that Tifa had thought would suit them both. Cameras began to click as they turned and swayed to the music.

Then, it was time for the father/daughter dance. Tifa had, much to her embarrassment, almost forgotten the event, having been deluged in the thrill of finding her father alive. Elena took care of the song and made sure the dance was in the program.

After that, the dance floor was opened, the strobe lights began to shine, and the music began to play. It was mostly party music, but every now and then, there was a slow dance for couples.

Someone took advantage of that opportunity right away, and immediately began to work up to it.

"So, Zack," Yuffie began with a smirk from her seat next to his, "don't forget you're my wedding date."

"I haven't forgotten," Zack assured her. "We are seated next to each other."

Miss Kisaragi was not impressed.

"That's it?" she exclaimed. "Aren't you going to dance with me?"

Zack sighed.

"Well..." he began.

"Hey!" she interjected. "You're my wedding date. You _have_ to dance with me!"

Zack sighed again.

"But..."

"No buts!" Yuffie insisted.

"I've never danced before," he admitted. "Ever."

It was true; his SOLDIER commitments had caused him to miss every school dance under the sun. But, in addition, he really did not want to dance.

Yuffie gave him a look.

"That's all that's stopping you?" she asked.

Zack was silent. He knew she was not going to give up.

Yuffie stood up and pushed her chair in. She then took Zack's hand and practically yanked him out of his chair. After that, she dragged him to the dance floor.

"Just take your left hand in my right and place your right one on my hip," she commanded.

Defeated, Zack did as he was told, as he felt Yuffie's other hand on his back.

She then began to sway him gently as they danced slowly together.

Zack did not mind at first, but, after about thirty seconds, he began to feel awkward.

"This is for couples," he protested.

"We are a couple," Yuffie retorted. "Until midnight, remember?"

There was no beating this girl.

Resigned to the moment, Zack, continued to slow-dance with Yuffie as he noticed all of the couples around them: Barret and Jessie, Cid and Shera, Reeve and Parker, Elena and Tseng, Reno and Tara, Rude and Kara, and, of course, Cloud and Tifa.

Gradually, the awkwardness subsided. Zack began to feel more comfortable, though he was looking at his surroundings, rather than making eye contact with his date.

"You _can_ look at me," Yuffie reminded him.

Rather than engaging in another quarrel, Zack looked at her.

Yuffie did look beautiful in her blue bridesmaid dress. As he continued to look at her, Zack noticed that she hand a crystal necklace and earrings to match. He could see that she was wearing lipstick, and he also noticed the mascara on her eyes. He was not used to seeing Yuffie all dressed up and wearing makeup. He realized how good of a friend she was to Cloud and Tifa if she wanted to look that nice for their wedding, let alone be involved in it. Zack respected Yuffie for going that extra mile to make Cloud's union to his childhood friend special.

And then, there was something else that Zack realized. He had known Yuffie since she was nine. In a way he was..._her_ childhood friend as well.

Finally, the song ended, and Zack and Yuffie broke their embrace.

Yuffie took a step back, and smiled at him.

"You know what?" she asked. "You're not half bad!"

"T-Thanks," Zack stammered.

Although he was not willing to admit it, he was quite flattered.

"We can sit down, now," she permitted. "At least until the next slow dance."

4:30 p.m.

A hilarious moment occurred in one corner of the tent as the fast dancing was going on.

Johnny, having not seen Shera slow-dancing with Cid, approached her with the intention of hitting on her.

"That dress really flatters you," he began.

"Thank you," Shera replied. "A bridesmaid's dress is designed to flatter her figure to get the attention of any potential male suitor."

Johnny grinned; he was thinking that Shera was as eager for him as he was for her; he did not realize how blunt she often was by nature.

"So," he continued. "What are you doing after the wedding?"

Shera decided to be blunt again.

"I'm having sex with my boyfriend," she replied, without making eye contact.

"Oh," muttered Johnny as he quietly backed away.

4:45 p.m.

Soon, it was time for the tosses. Tifa would toss her bouquet of flowers into a pool of single women, signifying the next one to get married. After that, Cloud would toss the garter to all the men.

Tifa was first. She stood at one end of the dance floor as all of the single women (which included everyone, with the exception of Aunt Lara) gathered behind her. Right away, a naughty idea popped into her mind. Always the prankster, she would never pass up an opportunity.

All of the women behind her got ready to dive for the bouquet with great anticipation. Some of them had boyfriends and others were single, but they all knew that Cloud and Tifa had only been together for three weeks, so they were well aware that anything went.

_Come on,_ thought Elena. _Give Tseng a hint!_

_It's just for fun,_ Shera thought. _It doesn't mean anything._

_Maybe it's best I don't catch it,_ Jessie thought. _Barret might think I'm moving too fast._

Tifa, with a wicked grin on her face that nobody could see, thrust her arms backward.

Yuffie, Shera, and Tara quickly charged in Tifa's direction, while the rest of the ladies prepared to catch the bouquet.

It was then that they all realized that said bouquet was still in Tifa's hands.

Tifa could hear several groans from behind her.

"Sorry, ladies!" she called. "I couldn't resist!"

She then prepared to toss the bouquet again.

All of the single women prepared themselves once more.

Tifa flung her arms back again, but the bouquet still did not leave her hands.

"Dammit, Tifa!" Yuffie shouted.

Tifa rocked with laughter.

"Okay," she said. "This time it's for real. I promise!"

She prepared herself once more, and, this time, she actually did toss the bouquet.

All of the ladies charged for the flying flowers.

Moments later, Tifa turned around to see that it was Sage who had caught it.

"Looks like the rest of you have to wait a while!" the eleven-year-old girl announced.

Cloud, meanwhile, when it came to tossing the garter, played no games, and simply tossed it.

Red XIII caught it in his mouth.

5:00 p.m.

Entrees were served at five. There was everything under the sun; steak, chicken, and a few vegetarian meals. Everyone quickly lined up and got their food with the greatest of ease. The dance floor was still open, but it was mostly empty.

Jessie seemed quiet during that time. She was eating, but was also staring off into space, as if she had something on her mind.

"What's up?" Barret asked when he noticed.

"Not a lot," Jessie replied. "Just something I've realized."

"Realized?" he asked.

_It's the timeline, again,_ he thought.

"I think I'm going to be okay," Jessie began. "And I really thought about what you said at Gold Saucer two nights ago. So I'm going to live my life, too."

"That's great to hear!" Barret said.

"Look at Tobin. Look at Zack. Look at Brian," she continued. "They all fooled the timeline. Maybe I can as well."

Barret became silent. It now seemed as if she was getting ready to tell him something.

"So," Jessie continued, "what do you think about a date in the middle of the week?"

Barret smiled.

"I'd like that," he replied.

"I'm up for the boardwalk in Costa del Sol if you are," Jessie suggested. "If I'm going to live my life, I would like to involve you in it."

"Sounds good," Barret agreed.

_Yes!_ thought Jessie. _He wants another date! Since it's the beach, maybe I can get a chance to show some skin off..._

5:30 p.m.

It was now time for Cloud and Tifa to cut the cake. The cake was wheeled out to the center of the room, and Cloud and Tifa stood behind it, holding the knife. With both of their hands clutching, they guided the blade into the cake, cutting themselves two small pieces.

Cloud took his piece of cake and gently gave it to his bride.

Tifa took her piece and, without warning, shoved it into Cloud's mouth, resulting in more loud cheers from the guests. Cloud's face was a sudden mess, but Tifa quickly took a napkin and lovingly wiped it clean.

5:40 p.m.

Shortly afterward, as pieces of the cake were being served to the guests, Cloud and Tifa remained standing.

"So," Cloud began, "who here filled out the questionnaire?"

Virtually the entire wedding shouted the affirmative.

"Well, then," Tifa said, "I figured you'd all like the answers?"

Once again, virtually the entire wedding shouted the affirmative.

"All right," Cloud announced. "We'll read the answers. Let's see what you all got right about us."

"'Who is older?'" began Tifa, "that would be Cloud. He's twenty-one and I'm twenty."

There were no groans; most guests had answered that question correctly.

"'Who said 'I love you' first?'" Cloud continued. "That was Tifa. She said it on the bridge of the Highwind when Meteor was falling."

There were no groans here either; that was a fairly obvious one.

"'Who's the better driver?'" Tifa read. "That's Cloud. He looked really badass on that motorcycle while we were fleeing the Shinra Building. I almost crashed the pickup truck from glancing at his butt a couple of times."

Cloud gave her a surprised look.

"Well, now you know," Tifa laughed.

"Moving on," said Cloud. "'Who is the first to forgive?' That's Tifa, one hundred percent. She's forgiven me where nobody else would."

One of the female guests (neither Cloud nor Tifa figured out who) yelled "amen!"

"'Who is more of a thrill seeker?'" Tifa continued. "I don't mean to toot my own horn, but, me."

"Agreed," Cloud admitted. "'Who has the crazier family?' Ladies and gentlemen, I happen to be a Shinra. Don't run!"

There was little commotion among the guests; most of them did not seem surprised.

"'Who is needier when they're sick?'" Tifa asked. "Well, I don't mean to embarrass you, but..."

"I know, I know!" Cloud playfully interrupted. "You had to take care of me when I had that mako poisoning and when you found me at the train station. Zack can back you up on it. Okay. 'Who is smarter?'"

"Cloud!" Tifa answered loudly less than second later. "Sorry, but you are. If you never came back into my life, I'd probably be blowing up the Sector Seven Reactor by now. 'Who is the best gift-giver?'"

"That would be Tifa," Cloud announced. "In fact, while we were dating, she gave me a present for every birthday we were apart."

There were many "awws" from the guests, mainly the women.

"And finally," Tifa continued, "'who can hold their alcohol the best?' That has to be Cloud. I'm not of the drinking age yet."

"So," Cloud finished, "everybody count your correct answers, and no cheating!"

5:50 p.m.

The music and dancing resumed. Most of the guests had finished eating, and were back on the dance floor. Sage could be seen walking about, twirling her baton. Kara was grind-dancing against Rude, and Reeve was keeping an eye on Sage to make sure she wasn't looking.

There were two guests he had remained seated. They more or less had a decent reason to be.

"You don't want to get up?" Tobin asked, noticing that his best friend remained seated.

"I can't dance to save my life," Cissnei laughed. "It's not the life I was raised for."

She remembered being adopted by the Shinra when she was a child. Her life was anything but normal.

"You can decide for yourself now," he pointed out. "Look at my cousin. She's twenty years old and proposed to Cloud, pursued her father, beat the translator's fun house, planned her wedding, survived a horrid beating, rescued her father, and married Cloud, all within a week!"

Cissnei lowered her head.

"Age doesn't matter," she replied. "Look at me. I'm twenty-five and haven't even had my first kiss, let alone a ring on my finger!"

Tobin immediately felt guilty, as if he had opened a wound.

"I'm sorry," he apologized. "I shouldn't have said that."

"No," dismissed Cissnei as she shook her head. "It's okay. Sometimes, though, I wish I could have had a normal life growing up. Look at Sage, twirling her baton. When I was eleven, I was twirling nunchucks."

"You did save Zack's life," Tobin pointed out.

"True," she agreed. "I guess that alone would make it worth it."

"And your life is pretty normal now," he added. "The Shinra's gone. You're at a wedding. It's a whole new life, I think."

Cissnei raised her head, feeling slightly better.

"Which reminds me," she said, "you still up for karaoke tonight?"

"You bet," Tobin replied. "I do owe it to you after running off to the Island Gulag. Hell, I owe you a lot."

"You got that right, bud," Cissnei agreed with a smile as she playfully elbowed him.

_Come to think of it,_ Tobin thought to himself, _didn't she say she had a punishment for me if I came back alive? I know she threatened me with one right before Zack and I left. What was it?_

He thought about it for a while as he nursed what was left of his meal, and as the other wedding guests continued to dance away. Then, it popped in his head.

_I remember. Clean the whole apartment. I suppose it's only fair. Hell, it's my room that's messier anyway. I'd be doing myself a favor._

"The bar in Xing's open until two in the morning," Cissnei continued. "Of course, we'll stay at the wedding until it's over. This is the very first wedding I've been to."

Tobin was happy that she was beginning to experience a regular life. He tried to enjoy it while he could, because, when they got home, he would have to clean the whole apartment.

_Clean the whole apartment,_ he thought. _She said that if I came back alive, I would have to clean the whole apartment._

"Something on your mind?" Cissnei asked.

"Nah," Tobin replied. "I'm good."

Suddenly, that no longer sounded right to him.

_Was it clean the whole apartment?_ he thought. _Or was it...something else?_

He continued to ponder it as the sky began to change from blue to orange.


	73. Deja Vu?

Premonitions II: Crisis Core

Chapter 73: Deja Vu?

6:00 p.m.

"Guess what?" Yuffie said, after she and Zack sat down from another slow dance.

"What's that?" Zack asked.

"The hotel I'm staying at has a pool," she announced.

"Sounds like you're in Rocket Town," he observed.

"You got that right," she confirmed.

_This means she'll want me to walk her back through Mount Nibel,_ he realized. _"I suppose I can do that. It looks like it's calmed down in the last five years. Plus, I now have Karnak's buster sword. I'll manage._

"Hey!" Yuffie suddenly exclaimed, looking around the tent. "Where's Cloud and Tifa?"

Zack scanned the tent, and noticed that the bride and groom were missing. He then immediately turned his attention to where Tobin had been sitting, and noticed that he was now gone as well.

"So it's begun," he said.

"What's begun?" Yuffie asked.

"Tifa texted Cloud about it late last night," Zack replied. "Cloud showed me the texts this morning. Now they're finally acting upon it."

"Acting upon what?" she inquired. "I'm totally confused."

"If I tell you, can you keep it to yourself?" he requested. "This is supposed to be a surprise for everyone."

"Thief's honor!" she assured him as she raised her right hand.

Zack leaned in and whispered the answer.

"Oh my God!" Yuffie squealed as she placed both her hands over her heart. "That's so beautiful!"

"Shhh!" he reprimanded.

"Do you think they'll say yes?" she asked.

"We'll know by seven," Zack replied.

MEANWHILE...

"No," Tobin dismissed as he shook his head. "I can't do that."

"Says who?" Tifa asked.

"I do," Tobin insisted.

Tobin, Cloud, and Tifa were seated outside the tent on the guest chairs near the altar. Tifa had quietly tapped her cousin on the shoulder and summoned him outside once she and Cloud had decided that it was time. They had decided to asked Tobin first, and he had quickly confirmed how he felt. Still, he was skeptical of going through with it.

"Tobin," Tifa insisted, "I read the journal. I know all you've been through. You deserve it."

Tobin was silent with a full heart. This was one event of the day he had certainly not been expecting.

"Tobin," Tifa continued, "Cloud and I texted each other about this late last night. We both agreed that it's right. We'd be so happy if you went through with this."

Tobin solemnly looked at both Cloud and Tifa.

"So would I," he admitted. "But it's your day."

"And maybe we want to share it with you," Tifa insisted. "Both you and I were hoping for this for years."

"But it's your day," Tobin repeated. "You planned it. You paid for it. Everyone's here for you."

The wedding gown-clad Tifa looked her cousin in the eyes.

"Tobin," she continued, "if it wasn't for you, we never would have found my father. He would've died at the Gulag. Your journal gave me my father back, and no plans or any money could have taken care of that."

"And I never would've found my best friend," Cloud added. "Zack would have died there as well."

Tifa then glared at Cloud.

"Best platonic friend," Cloud quickly corrected himself.

Tifa glared again; they had been platonic long before they were romantic.

"Best male friend," Cloud corrected himself again.

"That's better," Tifa said as she folded her arms. She then turned to her cousin. "So, Tobin, what do you say?"

"It would be really short notice," Tobin said.

"Please," Tifa insisted. "I read the last chapter of your journal. I put professionals on standby."

"You did?"

Tifa nodded.

"Tobin, it would mean a lot to us if your story had a happy ending as much as ours did. Deep down, you want it."

Tobin sighed.

"You're right," he admitted. "I do. Ever since Xing, I realized that I do. But I never thought it would be possible. And in any case, here and now?"

"Tobin," Tifa continued, "I know this isn't the perfect time to tell you this, but...you know how you might have been getting premonitions lately?"

"I know, I know," Tobin replied. "I know we're living in an alternate timeline. Zack and I were talking about it while you and Cloud were getting your pictures taken. But I don't see what it has to do with this."

"I'll tell you," Tifa replied. "When Cloud and I fell into the Lifestream, we both got a look at the old timeline. I'll just say this: in that old timeline, I made a mistake that you're in danger of making right now. I didn't do something that I should have, and I regretted it for the rest of my life. Don't make that mistake, Tobin, or you'll have the rest of your life to regret it."

Tobin sighed and sat back in his chair. "Zack told me about _that_ mistake, too." He paused, and took a long look at Cloud, followed by a long look at Tifa. "Alright," he said. "I'm in."

"We're halfway there," Tifa said as a smile appeared on her face.

"But," Tobin continued, "what if..."

He could not finish.

"Don't worry," Tifa assured him. "If things start to not go as we hope, Cloud and I will jump in!"

Tobin sat in his chair for a few moments, getting his head together. This would be one of the biggest decisions of his life.

"All right," he finally said, as he exhaled deeply. "I'm ready."

He slowly got up out of his seat and began to make his way back to the tent, his heart racing as he did so.

Cloud and Tifa were behind him, with the latter holding onto the former's arm. The easy part was over. Now, they could only wait and see how it played out.

Tobin then took a deep breath, and entered the tent.

Cissnei was sitting at the table, completely oblivious to the conversation that had just occurred outside.

Tobin began to tremble slightly as he approached the table, wondering what she would say. He already knew how he felt about it, but, whether she felt the same way, there was only one way to find out.

"There you are!" she greeted as soon as she noticed him.

Tobin, at a loss for words, simply nodded as he sat down. He would have to think on how to word it.

Cissnei quickly caught on; something was most definitely on his mind.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

_Forget it,_ he thought. _There's no way to work up to it. So I'll just say it._

"Aren't we forgetting something?" Tobin asked.

_Now you've started it,_ he thought. _You have to finish it._

"I don't think so," Cissnei replied. She looked down at her feet. "My shoes are on."

_Just bring up what happened before you left for the Island Gulag._

"Remember what you said?" Tobin reminded her.

"This morning or last night?" she asked.

"Before Zack and I left for the Gulag," he clarified.

"Why bring that up?" she asked skeptically. "We're at this beautiful wedding. Why ruin it?"

"Do you remember?" he pressed.

Cissnei rolled her shoulders.

"I remember saying how crazy it was to go there," she replied. "I was right, wasn't I?"

_This will take a little more effort._

"And what you said after you said it was crazy?"

"That I would hide your journal, which I did," Cissnei replied.

"And after you said_ that_?" Tobin pressed once more.

_Here we go,_ he thought.

"But what's bringing this up all of a sudden?" she asked. "We're at your cousin's wedding! Don't you want to enjoy it?"

Tobin looked her in the eyes. It was time to walk her through it.

"You were so mad that you said if I came back alive..." he began.

_Let's see if she remembers the rest._

Cissnei lifted her head slightly and became silent for a few moments.

Tobin could tell that she was thinking.

Then, she lowered her head again, and made eye-contact with Tobin. Her eyes began to widen at the realization. She then began to open her mouth.

"...we'd have to get...married," she finished.

She then sat there in silence, realizing what she had demanded of him three weeks earlier. She did not know what to say.

"Well," Tobin continued, "I made it back alive. And the Continental Governor is right here. So are all our surviving friends."

Cissnei's mouth became dry. Her hands started to tremble.

_He's not saying what I think he's saying, is he?_

"Tobin...are you...serious?"

"A promise is a promise," Tobin insisted.

Cissnei began to perspire slightly on her forehead.

_Yes, I did say that, but..._

"Tobin, I was...just..."

"Just what?" Tobin pressed.

"I really wasn't expecting you to come back," Cissnei protested. "I thought you were going to your death. I had to talk you out of it somehow!"

"Then why did you say we have to get married?" Tobin inquired. "Why not have me take you to gold saucer, or clean the apartment?"

"Because..."

She tried to think of a good answer.

But she could not.

Cissnei closed her eyes and lowered her head.

_Why did I say that?_ she asked herself. _He has a good point. Is there...maybe something I didn't know...about myself?_

She then raised her head and looked at Tobin.

It was difficult to describe the look in Cissnei's eyes. It was not nervous, nor was it upset. It seemed more...unsure.

At that moment, Cloud and Tifa appeared from behind Tobin.

Cissnei could tell right away what the three of them had been discussing outside.

"Who's idea was this, anyway?" she asked.

She did not seem upset, but she was curious.

"According to Tobin's journal, yours," Tifa replied honestly.

Cissnei sighed.

"I know what I said," she admitted. "And I don't know why I said that."

Tifa looked at her friend sincerely.

"Maybe something deep down inside?" she suggested.

Cissnei shook her head.

"Tobin's my best friend," she insisted. "You remember the conversation we had that night in Xing, right?"

"I sure do," Tifa replied.

FLASHBACK...

"I just have always seen Tobin as my best friend. Strictly platonically. I love him to the moon and back, but I'm not taking my clothes off."

...END FLASHBACK

"But you did say you love my cousin to the moon and back," Tifa continued. "Tell me, what do you love about him?"

Cissnei sat in silence, seemingly unable to answer.

_Maybe this was a mistake,_ Tifa thought. _ And now I've humiliated my cousin._

Realizing that, Tifa almost wanted to crawl into a hole and die.

And then, Cissnei began to reply.

"I love how, one morning, he found out I was a Turk and didn't flinch," she finally began.

"Go on," encouraged Tifa. "What else?"

"I love how he let me make sure he was eating breakfast. I love how he always listened to me, even though it drove him crazy."

Tifa smiled. Slowly, but surely, her friend was realizing how she truly felt.

"I really loved how he took me to Gold Saucer for my birthday, and got me that beautiful bracelet," Cissnei admitted.

She looked at her left arm; she had worn the bracelet to the wedding.

"And on that date," Tifa asked, as she looked at her friend sincerely in the eyes, "did you feel a spark? Did you feel tingly inside, and get butterflies in your stomach?"

Cissnei closed her eyes for a moment. When she opened them again, they were wet. She made eye-contact with Tifa, and tears began to fall.

"Yes," the former Turk whispered.

"And now you're crying," Tifa pointed out. "Something you never did until now."

"Actually," Cissnei corrected, "I cried last night. Because I was so happy Tobin came back."

Tifa gently placed her hand on Cissnei's shoulder.

"Oh, Tifa," Cissnei continued has she put both of her hands on her heart, "I _do_ feel that way about Tobin. I _do_! I just didn't realize it because I wasn't raised to love anyone."

"Well," Cloud began, "we do have everything ready."

Cissnei hesitated for a moment. She realized that she liked the idea. She really liked it. A lot. But...

"I don't know," she replied as she shook her head. "It's really sudden."

"Snooze, you lose," Tobin warned.

Cissnei gave him a look.

"You had to go there," she playfully accused.

"Yes, I did," Tobin replied with a smirk.

Cissnei then became quiet again.

"Tobin, this is for life," she said.

"Your point being?" Sage, who had been eavesdropping that entire time, asked from behind her (causing Cissnei to nearly jump in surprise). "Would you rather just grow old pretending you were just friends when, deep down, you know the truth?"

Reeve, upon spotting his daughter listening in, immediately marched over to her, grabbed her arm, and dragged her away.

Cissnei, meanwhile sat in silence.

She thought about the time they went to Gold Saucer together. She thought about how sad she was when the Shinra recalled her to duty and forced her to leave him behind. She recalled how broken-hearted she was when he had left for the Island Gulag. She recalled how happy she had been to have him in her life for the past seven years. And...

She remembered how she prayed for a family that one night. Now was her chance to have one.

Now was her chance to have one.

Another tear escaped her eye.

"Alright!" Cissnei chocked. "You've talked me into it. Let's do it!"

Cloud and Tifa smiled.

Tobin put his face into his hand and shed a couple of tears of happiness.

"I never told you my real name!" Cissnei suddenly realized aloud.

"Cissnei's your real name to me," Tobin replied.

"And now," Tifa said happily, "you, Miss Cissnei, need to make your way to the back patio. You'll find a surprise when you get there."

Cissnei slowly stood up. Overwhelmed with emotion, she hugged Tobin, Cloud, and Tifa in turn.

Then, she made her way outside of the tent, and to the back patio.

7:00 p.m.

Night had fallen. The tent was lit up, as was the arch and the aisle that led to it. A full moon was present, and the stars brightly dotted the sky.

All of the guests had been ushered back to the aisle seats, completely oblivious to what was about to happen. There were a few scratching of heads and some commotion as everyone attempted to asses this situation.

"Is she walking down the aisle again?" Aunt Lara asked.

Uncle Albert shrugged.

"She hit a home run," he replied. "Why run around the bases again?"

Once everyone had taken their seats, Cloud and Tifa appeared, briefly smiled at everyone, and, to everyone's surprise, took a seat as well.

Then, the Continental Governor appeared at the altar, as did Tobin.

"Thank you all for coming back here," Bismark began. "I know this might seem like deja vu to many of us, but I've just gotten word that we have an unexpected surprise tonight."

As she finished those words, the Bach Cantata began to play, and all of the guests, realizing in amazement what was happening, rose to their feet.

A moment later, a beaming Cissnei appeared at the back door. She was in a white, strapless mermaid wedding dress, clutching a bouquet of flowers in her hands. She began to walk slowly toward the altar, where Tobin was patiently waiting.

Cissnei was, indeed, a beautiful bride.

When she was twenty feet from the altar, she closed her eyes.

_Just yesterday, I thought I'd never see him again,_ she thought._ And now, we're getting married!_

When she was fifteen feet from the altar, she opened them again.

_We've both hid our feelings for too long. I sure did, even from myself._

Then, she was ten feet from the altar.

_I thought this day would never come! Ever since I was a little girl, I never thought this would happen._

Then, she was five feet away.

_Oh, Tifa, thank you. Thank you so much!_

And, finally, she arrived at her destination. She handed the bouquet to Tifa before standing beside Tobin, before the Continental Governor.

"Friends and family," Bismark began. "Thank you all for coming out here again on surprise notice. As it turns out, we have had not one, but two couples to join in matrimony on this incredible day. Please be seated."

Bismarck then began to address Tobin and Cissnei.

"Please face each other and hold hands," she commanded.

Tobin turned to face his bride and gently took her hands in his.

Cissnei realized that no man had ever held her hands before.

_This is such a good feeling!_ she thought.

"Tobin and Cissnei met seven years ago in Midgar," Bismark began. "He was an intern, she was a Turk. Business and finance made them roommates, but experience, care, and support made them friends. And soon, they became best friends. When Tobin was sent to train in Xing, Cissnei followed him there to be with him. It was there that Tobin gave Cissnei her very first birthday celebration. Eventually, they were forced to go their separate ways, only to be reunited a few weeks later. A year after that, they were separated again. They were reunited once more, and, tonight, they have decided to never be apart again."

She turned to Tobin.

"Tobin, please repeat after me," the Continental Governor began. "I, Tobin Lockheart," began Bismarck.

"I, Tobin Lockheart," he repeated.

_This is happening,_ he thought. _And to think, this morning, we thought we were going to somebody else's wedding!_

"Take you to be my wife," she continued.

"Take you to be my wife."

_My wife_, he thought. _That has a great ring to it._

"To have and to hold."

"To have and to hold."

"For better or for worse."

"For better or for worse."

_She's seen me at my worst, and guided me through it every step of the way,_ he remembered. _And I will do the same for her._

"For richer or poorer."

"For richer or poorer."

"In sickness and in health."

"In sickness and in health."

"And forsaking all others."

"And forsaking all others."

"To love, honor, and cherish."

"To love, honor, and cherish," he repeated as a tear fell from his eye.

"For as long as we both shall live."

"For as long as we both shall live," he finished.

_I know this is for life,_ he thought. _And I wouldn't have it any other way._

Bismark then turned toward Cissnei. "I, Alicia Jane Reynolds," she began.

"I, Alicia Jane Reynolds," Cissnei repeated.

_So _that's_ her real name,_ Zack thought from his seat.

"Take you to be my husband."

"Take you to be my husband."

_I lost him as a best friend and got him back as a husband,_ Cissnei thought. _How did I ever get so lucky?_

"To have and to hold."

"To have and to hold," Cissnei repeated.

"For better or for worse."

"For better or for worse."

_I was there for him through his worst, _Cissnei thought._ If I have my worst, I know I can count on him._

"For richer or poorer," continued Bismarck.

"For richer or poorer," Cissnei repeated.

_I went from a Turk to a waitress, and he still finds me a keeper!_

"In sickness and in health."

"In sickness and in health."

"And forsaking all others."

"And forsaking all others."

"To love, honor, and cherish."

"To love, honor, and cherish."

_I'll do those with all my heart._

"For as long as we both shall live."

"For as long as we both shall live," Cissnei finished.

That was the end of the vows.

"May I please have the rings?" the Continental Governor requested.

Denzel, who had happily agreed to perform his job again, handed her the rings.

She then handed the first ring to Tobin.

"Cissnei," he began, "I couldn't come up with much to say on such short notice, so I'll say what really matters. Ever since you came into my life, it always felt right with you around. I always missed you when one of us was away, and, just last night, when I was rescued from the Island Gulag, what I was looking forward to the most was seeing you again. You always were there for me during difficult times, and, to this day, just being with you makes everything easier. As a sign of my love, that I have chosen you, above all else, with this ring, I thee wed."

He then took Cissnei's left hand, and gently slipped the wedding ring on her finger.

Then, the Continental Governor handed the remaining ring to the bride.

"Tobin" Cissnei began, "I never thought I was worthy of having any companion until you entered my life. I never even knew how to love someone until you showed me how. It's because of you that I've always looked forward to getting home every evening. It's because of you that I never felt alone without ever having parents or any family. I'll never forget how you treated me to my first Halloween. I'll never forget how your treated me to the first birthday celebration I ever had. And, yes, I did say that if you came back from the Island Gulag alive, we had to get married, but now I think I know why I said that. It was because the thought of you not being there made me realize that I wanted you as a permanent part of my life. I can't promise our life together is going to be perfect, but I do promise I'll do everything I can to make you feel like the luckiest man in the world. I don't know what kind of adventures we'll be having in the future, but it looks like I have the rest of my life to find out! As a sign of my love, that I have chosen you, above all else, with this ring, I thee wed."

Cissnei, emotionally full, took Tobin's left hand in hers, and lovingly placed the ring on his finger.

The Continental Governor then turned towards the guests.

_Funny,_ thought Reeve from the crowd. _I told them that a strange bargain would seal their fate forever. And it's done just that._

"By the power vested in me by the authority of the Western Continent," Bismarck declared, "I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss your bride."

Tobin gently wrapped his arms around Cissnei's waist, and pressed his lips gently against hers.

It was her first kiss ever.

She then threw her arms around him and hugged him tightly.

Her face displayed all of the emotion she was feeling. But she was not crying; she was smiling.

LATER...

In the same fashion as earlier in the day, Tobin and Cissnei were taken to the town square for pictures. Although it was now nighttime, the town was illuminated by house lights, street lights, the moon, and the stars.

After taking around a hundred or so pictures, the new couple, much like their predecessors, requested a few moments to themselves. As soon as they were alone, Tobin wrapped his arms around Cissnei's waist, pulled her in for an embrace, and rested his forehead on hers.

Cissnei smiled and placed her arms on his shoulders.

_Oh my God, I'm a wife!_ she thought.

"We're, like, totally married now!" she laughed.

"I know, right?" Tobin replied.

The newlyweds remained in that embrace for several minutes. It was something that they were both taking in; when they left that morning, they had no idea that the day would turn out like this. It was the most wonderful surprise they both had ever had in their lives.

"We really did it?" Tobin asked.

"We really did it," Cissnei replied.

"So we're even for the Gulag?" he asked.

"Oh, yes!" she answered happily. "We're even!"

8:00 p.m.

Tobin and Cissnei returned to the tent to the same thunderous applause that Cloud and Tifa had received earlier.

Their first dance was also a song from the old world, but this one was fast and upbeat. While it was true that neither Cissnei had never danced before, she and Tobin walked through it as best they could. About halfway through the song, Cissnei signaled all of the other guests to come to the floor and join in the dance.

Sage was twirling her baton the whole time.

As Cissnei's father was long deceased, Uncle Albert filled in for the father/daughter dance.

8:15 p.m.

The time then arrived to toss the bouquet and garter.

Cissnei, who went first, decided to allow the bouquet to fly without teasing the ladies behind her. She did hear the commotion and apparent struggles to catch it. She then turned around to see the results.

Sage had caught the bouquet again, much to the annoyance of the adults.

"Well, it was wrong the last time!" she pointed out.

8:30 p.m.

It was then time for Tobin and Cissnei to cut their wedding cake, which was wheeled out right after the tosses.

Tifa had taken somewhat of a gamble, and ordered the cake baked right after her own was finished.

Tobin and Cissnei both took the knife and cut each other their pieces.

Tobin fed his piece to Cissnei modestly.

Unlike her new cousin-in-law, Cissnei was also modest with the cake.

8:45 p.m

"Who is older?" Cissnei began, as she and Tobin stood at the front of the tent. "I am. He's twenty-two, I'm twenty-five. I'm such a cougar."

There were a few laughs and several groans; not all of the guests knew the new couple that well.

"'Who said 'I love you' first?'" Tobin continued.

"Me," Cissnei replied. "I confessed it to your cousin back in Xing."

"And you never said anything to me?" Tobin playfully accused.

"'Who's the better driver?'" Cissnei continued. "Tobin. The funny thing is, I taught him to drive, and he's still better than I am."

"'Who is the first to forgive?'" Tobin read. He turned to Cissnei, in her wedding gown. "Well, technically, this is her punishment for me running off to the Island Gulag."

The guests laughed again.

"'Who is more of a thrill seeker?'" Cissnei continued. "That's definitely Tobin! He ran off to the Island Gulag!" She then flaunted her wedding band. "And now he's paying the consequences!"

"It was worth it!" Tobin retorted with a smile. "'Who has the crazier family?' That would be me."

"Hey!" Tifa shouted.

"Sometime we'll have a contest on which cousin is crazier," Tobin playfully suggested.

"'Who is needier when they're sick?'" Cissnei continued. "Honestly, neither one of us gets sick. But I got depressed whenever Tobin wasn't around, and him always coming back always made things better." She then rubbed his shoulder affectionately.

"'Who is smarter?'" Tobin read. "Cissnei. It's a little known fact that you have to have an I.Q. of 150 or more in order to be a Turk."

Cissnei began to blush. She was, indeed, a genius, but never seriously took pride in it. "'Who is the best gift-giver?'" she then continued. "Tobin." She flaunted her diamond bracelet. "He gave this to me for my birthday and took me to Gold Saucer!"

"Go Tobin!" Yuffie called from her seat.

"Last but not least," Tobin announced, "'who can hold their alcohol the best?' I really don't know."

"We drank ourselves stupid the night Meteor was summoned," Cissnei admitted. "We both passed out at the same time!"

LATER...

The music and dances had resumed. All food was finished, and the dance floor was well occupied again.

Tifa stood, watching Tobin and Cissnei out of the corner of her eye. She was relieved that they had both said yes, but she truly felt that they deserved it. Cissnei now had a family, and she and Tobin would never pass out of each other's lives again. She did not mind sharing her wedding day with them the least.

"Hey, Tifa?" Yuffie suddenly called from behind her.

Tifa turned around to greet her friend.

"I just wanted to say that was an incredible thing you did for Tobin," Yuffie complimented. "You have to be the best cousin ever!"

"Thanks!" Tifa replied with a smile. "It popped in my head last night. I just _had_ to see if it could happen."

"So are there any more surprises for the evening?" Yuffie asked.

Tifa shook her head.

"No," she laughed. "That's it." She then took a look at the dance floor, and then at Yuffie again. "I'm going to dance," she announced. "Let's go."

"Okay," Yuffie agreed. "But don't dance too hard."

"Too hard?" asked Tifa.

"You need to save your energy for tonight," Yuffie advised her with a smirk.

"Let's go!" Tifa repeated as she led Yuffie to the dance floor.


	74. Departures

Premonitions II: Crisis Core

Chapter 74: Departures

February 2, 0008

9:15 p.m.

Tifa, still in her wedding gown, stood in her parlor. It was all quiet, in sharp contrast to the celebrations outside. She looked out the window, and was reminded that night had indeed fallen. She had taken her vows. She had cut the cake. She had tossed the bouquet. She had had her first dance. All that was left to do at this point was to begin her honeymoon with Cloud.

She took a long look at the wedding band that was now on her finger. She and Cloud were married. There was nothing that could put a stop to that now. Now, she would spend the rest of her life with him. She was grateful to whatever higher power was out there; it was a second chance virtually nobody else would ever get.

She then heard the patio door open and close, and Cissnei appeared moments later.

Smiling, she immediately went up to Tifa and hugged her.

"I don't know how to thank you!" Cissnei exclaimed.

"Don't mention it," Tifa assured her. "It meant everything since I read the journal."

"You really had this planned all day?" Cissnei asked.

"All day," Tifa replied. "Trust me, it would break my heart if you and my cousin didn't end up together."

Cissnei laughed and hugged Tifa again. She then grabbed her cell phone, which she had left on the counter when she had changed into her wedding dress.

"Bride selfie?" she requested.

"Of course!" Tifa replied.

They huddled and took the selfie as they heard the patio door open a third time.

A moment later, the maid of honor appeared in front of them.

"Hey, girls!" Elena greeted.

"Hey!" Cissnei replied.

"So the limo's on its way," Elena informed Tifa. "It'll stop in front of the house and take you to the dock. From there, the ferry will take you to the private island. You'll be there around elevenish."

"Wait, hold on," Tifa suddenly said as she ran up the stairs.

"What's going on?" asked Cissnei.

Elena simply shrugged.

A minute later, Tifa returned as quickly as she went.

"What was that all about?" Elena asked.

"I almost forgot," Tifa replied.

In her left hand were the blue bikini bottoms that read "Lockheart" on them. In her right hand was a multi-purpose lighter.

"You're burning your bikini bottoms?!" Cissnei exclaimed.

"It's not my last name anymore," Tifa replied. "Besides..."

"You didn't tell Cissnei, did you?" Elena asked.

"Tell me what?" Cissnei naturally inquired.

"I'm surprising Cloud in the hot tub tonight," Tifa informed her. "Wearing just my bikini top."

"Oooh!" exclaimed Cissnei. "That's sexy!"

"He won't notice when he first sees me in the hot tub," Tifa continued. "He'll gradually realize it as he walks around."

"That's very sexy!" Cissnei observed.

"He'll see her naked lower half from the side first," Elena continued. "Then he'll come all the way around and see her butt."

"That's extremely sexy!" said Cissnei.

"I also got her one of those do-it-yourself bikini wax kits so her lady parts will look sexy," Elena continued.

"Oh, I use those all the time," Cissnei admitted. "I even used one this morning when I cleaned up. They do make your lady parts look sexy."

"But in regards to the bikini bottoms," Elena said, "I think it's best that I burn them."

Tifa gave somewhat of a disappointed look; she had wanted to do that herself.

"I know you want to burn it yourself," Elena continued, "but we can't forget that your wedding dresses are, in fact, flammable."

"Ohhh," Tifa and Cissnei realized in unison as the former handed Elena the bottoms and the lighter.

"Fire is sexy," Elena assured them. "But a burning bride..."

"...is not sexy!" the two brides finished in unison.

Elena took the lighter to the bottoms, causing them to burn to ashes in less than two seconds.

The three women gasped in surprise.

"I didn't think it would be that quick," Tifa admitted.

Elena then handed the brides a set of folded clothes, each containing a pair of blue skinny jeans and a white tank top that read "Mrs." on it.

"You're getaway outfits," she explained. "Each of you can pick a room and change. Tifa, the limo's going to be here any minute."

Both Tifa and Cissnei nodded as they each went to a room to change.

9:30 p.m.

The totality of the wedding guests were gathered in the town square as the limousine pulled up in front of the house. Moments later, Cloud (who had also dressed down) and Tifa appeared at the front door, greeted by thunderous applause once again. The crowd cleared the way as Tseng and Elena led them to the limousine, opened the doors, and let them in, before climbing in themselves. The vehicle then drove off and out the south end of town, as all of the guests waved them farewell.

A few minutes later, the other bride and groom emerged from the house. Cissnei was in her getaway outfit, and Tobin, like Cloud, had dressed down. This time, a valet pulled Cissnei's own vehicle up to the house.

"Alicia?" he called.

"That's me!" Cissnei laughed.

The guests applauded again before Cissnei climbed into the driver's seat and Tobin into the passenger's. Moments later, Cissnei drove out the south entrance as well, again with the guests waving farewell.

"They're cant be a happier ending to this, can there?" Yuffie asked.

"Doubt it," Zack replied. "I certainly didn't see it coming for Cissnei and Tobin. I really thought they were just friends."

"That's the funny thing," she said. "It's hard to tell who likes you."

Zack nodded.

_Well, the wedding's over,_ he thought. _I suppose this is time to make my escape._

"So Yuffie," he began. "I had a really good time with you today."

She then gave him a look, taking the cue of the past tense he used.

"Wait a minute!" she exclaimed. "It's not over yet!"

"Not over yet?" Zack asked. "Cloud and Tifa are gone. So are Tobin and Cissnei. The wedding's over."

Yuffie sighed.

"Aren't you going to walk your date back to Rocket Town?" she asked. "Remember, you're mine until midnight. That's two and a half hours away."

He remembered that agreement; he needed to honor it. They had been on the date for seven and a half hours. Two and a half more wouldn't hurt anything.

"Yeah, okay," he replied.

He was in no position to argue, and the fact that he had seen it coming made it easier for him to accept.

Gradually, he did realize that they would have to pass the Nibel Reactor, where all hell had first broken loose.

_Yeah, okay._

9:35 p.m.

One more surprise came for the night as a helicopter suddenly landed in the town square, attracting the attention of all of the remaining guests.

Cid immediately began to chuckle.

"They're too fucking late!" he pointed out. "Cloud and Tifa are gone!"

"That's not for Cloud and Tifa," Shera dismissed. "It's for us."

Cid immediately stopped laughing, and looked at Shera.

"Us?!" he exclaimed.

"That's right!" she replied. "I told you I had a surprise for you."

"A helicopter?" he asked.

Shera shook her head.

"Where we're going!" she corrected as she quickly made her way to the chopper.

Cid continued to stand in place, still in disbelief.

_What is she planning?_ he thought.

"Well," began Shera as she started to board the helicopter, "don't tell me I have to do this without you!"

"No way!" Cid exclaimed as he practically ran to join her.

9:40 p.m.

The limousine, having driven straight from Nibelheim, stopped at the docks south of town.

Cloud and Tifa stepped out first, followed by Tseng and Elena. The gentle, cool breeze of the sea greeted them all.

Before the four of them sat a large, two story ferry.

"This will take you to the private island," Elena explained. "And it will pick you up in a week. In the meantime, it's yours to enjoy."

"Wow," Tifa replied. "This is incredible!"

She was truly amazed at what lay in store for her and Cloud.

"And don't worry," Elena continued. "The island's a no-fly zone. You'll get all the privacy you need."

"Perfect," said Cloud.

"Oh," added Tseng, "whatever you do, don't lose track of the days."

"No worries," Cloud assured them.

"He means it," Elena insisted. "The last thing you want is for the ferry to pull in while you're naked on the beach."

"I'll keep that in mind," Cloud said.

Cloud then shook hands with Tseng and hugged Elena good-bye. He then took their only piece of luggage (a bag that contained sunscreen, soap, and shampoo) and carried it onto the ferry.

Tseng then hugged Tifa good-bye and returned to limousine.

Tifa remained alone with Elena. She was truly amazed at how wonderful a friend she had become in less than a week. She could barely remember that they were once enemies, and felt truly blessed to have her in her life.

"Elena," she began, "thanks for everything. You really made the wedding special."

"Happy to do it all," Elena replied with a smile.

Before either woman could say anything else, Tifa hugged her friend tightly.

"I'll be here when you get back," Elena promised. "Right now, go enjoy your honeymoon!"

"Will do!" Tifa replied with a smile.

She then turned, and joined her husband on the ferry.

9:45 p.m.

Cissnei drove down the road that led to Xing. She had difficulty doing so; she kept glancing at her left hand, overjoyed to see a wedding band on her ring finger. She was also having trouble driving because she kept glancing down at her chest, happy to see the "Mrs." on her tank top.

Mrs.

_That's right,_ she happily thought to herself. _I'm a Mrs. I really did not see that coming ever in my life, let alone this morning!_

She turned to Tobin, and threw him a big smile.

Tobin smiled back, but not as strongly as Cissnei.

_He's still taking it in,_ she thought. _If I knew we were getting married today, I would have booked a honeymoon. Or at least a hotel for the night!_

She smiled at Tobin again.

This time, however, he did not smile.

And the smile faded from Cissnei's face as well.

_Something's wrong,_ she realized. _He's not saying anything, or even smiling. Okay, I heard the first rule of marriage is communication. Let's see how well we do._

"You're quiet," she observed aloud.

"I'm fine," Tobin responded quietly, without making eye contact.

In response, Cissnei immediately pulled the vehicle over. That did it.

She turned to Tobin, and looked him in the eyes with concern.

"You're not fine," she began. "I can tell. Tobin, please tell me what's on your mind."

Tobin took a deep breath.

"Did I...push you into this?" he began.

_So that's what's on his mind,_ she realized. _Technically, he did, but in the best way possible._

"Tobin," she replied. "I won't lie. I woke up this morning expecting to come home from the wedding just as friends. And yes, I was caught by surprise. But, Tobin, if I didn't want to get married, I wouldn't have said yes."

Tobin smiled a little more; he seemed relieved.

"I didn't say yes to please everyone," Cissnei continued. "I didn't say yes to please anyone. I said yes because I love you. All anyone pressured me into was realizing the truth about how I felt. And now I fully know why I said we had to get married three weeks ago. It was because I couldn't bear to have a life without you. I just wasn't trained to realize what love is. But now I know better."

With that, Cissnei gently placed her hand on Tobin's cheek, leaned in, and kissed him. She then pulled back, and took his right hand in both of hers.

"I'm not going to wake up tomorrow regretting this or thinking this was crazy," she insisted. "I've regretted a lot of things in my life. I've regretted never knowing my parents. I've regretted staying a Turk for longer than I should have. But I'll never regret tonight. It was the best decision I ever made."

She leaned in and kissed him again; the feeling of his lips against hers was a wonderful sensation that had been long overdue.

"Tobin," Cissnei continued, "I truly love you. To the moon and back. The only other thing I'll ever regret is not realizing that earlier. And I don't know how I've gotten so lucky to have fallen in love with someone like you. But, Tobin, I meant everything I said at the altar. And I'm looking forward to spending the rest of my life with you."

The two newlyweds kissed once more before the bride resumed driving. Five minutes later, they were parked in Xing.

"Ready?" Cissnei asked.

"Ready," Tobin replied.

She kissed him once more before they got out of the car.

They then went to the bar, holding hands along the way.

9:50 p.m.

Zack and Yuffie continued their way through the winding paths of Mount Nibel. It was a quiet walk, as no Shinra troops nor any menacing creatures would now pursue them. There were no lights along the paths; the two wedding guests were using their cell phones to find their way across the mountain.

As the location evoked undesired memories for Zack, it was Yuffie who was the most talkative.

"People from this area believe your soul goes through here when you die," Yuffie began.

"Wow," Zack replied, pretending to be interested. "I actually died. My friend Angeal pulled me off the ground and I actually saw Heaven. And then, the lucky bride shocked me back to life."

"Tifa?" she asked.

"Cissnei," he corrected. "I still can't believe she also got married tonight."

"I know," she said.

The path continued. Zack was eager to arrive on the other end of the mountain. He would drop his date off and then...

_Shit._

He realized that he would have to come back through the mountain on the way back.

"The funny thing is," continued Yuffie, "until the Lifestream burst out of the ground, I never really believed in life after death. It's weird how whole experiences can change your outlook on everything."

_Now she's getting philosophical?_ he thought to himself. _She seems a little young for that, but, hell, maybe it'll make her stop stealing._

A few moments later, Zack stopped in his tracks, and beheld something he had hoped to never see again.

It was the Nibel Reactor.

"Where it all started to go wrong," Zack began.

"What happened?" Yuffie asked.

"Genesis was hiding in there," Zack replied. "He told Sephiroth about his origins. So then Sephiroth confined himself into the Shinra Mansion before burning the town down. I ended up in a tube for four years because of it all." He paused. "That's why I didn't recognize you at first."

Yuffie was silent.

_It did destroy his life,_ she realized. _He just wanted to go home to Midgar. He was totally screwed over. And yet...maybe I can make him feel better._

"If you'll come with me," she began, "there's something real neat inside that reactor."

"No thanks," he dismissed.

"It's worth it," she said. "Trust me."

9:55 p.m.

Tobin sat in his seat as Cissnei sang another karaoke song from the old world. He was happy to hear it; it described the two of them perfectly.

He realized how much she truly loved him. He almost wanted to laugh at the fact that neither of them had realized that until literally minutes before that had gotten married. This would be a story to tell for sure. It would be the perfect ending to the journal when he published it.

After the song was finished, Cissnei sat down next to him at the table.

"You know," she began, somewhat embarrassed, "we're over an hour away from home."

She was right; they had to drive all the way back to Cosmo Canyon.

"Should we go?" Tobin asked.

"I think so," Cissnei replied sadly. "I didn't realize the wedding would run this late. I have never been to one."

"That's okay," he said. "We can come back tomorrow if you want."

In response, she placed her hand on his.

"I'd rather just be with you," she replied.

"I like that better," he agreed.

10:00 p.m

"So this is Sephiroth?" Zack asked as he gazed at the petrified figure in the basement of the Nibel Reactor.

"This is Sephiroth," Yuffie replied.

"What happened?" he asked.

"Tifa dropped a cracked break Materia. She turned Sephiroth, herself, and the other three to stone in a flash."

"Herself?!" Zack exclaimed.

"Cloud broke down and cried like she was gone forever," Yuffie continued. "But I brought her back with a soft."

Zack felt a little better, knowing that Sephiroth had some comeuppance. But...

"Why didn't you just kill him?" he asked.

"Supposedly, in the future, he manipulates the Lifestream from inside," Yuffie answered. "So we decided he's more dangerous dead than alive."

"And who are those other three?" he inquired, noticing the remaining three statues.

"Kadaj, Loz, and Yazoo," she replied. "They're his children. He got three unsuspecting women pregnant. All died giving birth."

Zack stood appalled. He realized he had missed a lot.

"Wow," he said. "All this because Genesis ran his mouth."

"Hey," Yuffie began, "whatever happened to that guy, anyway?"

"Dunno," Zack replied. "I honestly just left him there. Nobody's heard from him since."

Yuffie shook her head.

Zack then returned his attention to the petrified Sephiroth.

"What's going to happen to him?" he asked.

"Down here he stays," she replied.

"But what if someone used a soft on him?"

"I'd rather not think about it," Yuffie answered. "He's already summoned Meteor. God only knows what else he's capable of."

Zack was silent.

"Sorry," Yuffie continued. "You want to get out of here, don't you?"

He took one last look at the petrified Sephiroth.

"I would prefer that," he admitted.

10:15 p.m.

The helicopter landed in Sector Eight before Cid and Shera stepped out.

"So that's the surprise?" Cid asked. "Midgar?"

"No, silly," Shera replied. "It's _in_ Midgar!"

With that, she took his hand and began leading him through the streets with direction. Midnight and her eighteenth birthday were a mere hour and forty-five minutes away. She wondered what they would do with each minute leading up to it.

Cid, meanwhile, was dumbfounded. He was following her blindly through the empty streets, wondering where she was taking him. Nobody had ever surprised him in his life, at least not in a pleasant way, so he had mixed feelings about the whole situation.

After a few minutes, they crossed into Sector One. A few blocks after that, Cid beheld what had been waiting for him.

It was his favorite hotspot in Midgar.

It was Coveter's Row, lined with shops, gaming kiosks, casinos, and clubs. "Wall Market for the middle class," as it was often referred to.

"Wow!" Cid exclaimed in awe. "_This_ is the surprise?!"

"Yes," Shera replied as she pointed her finger. "And _this!_"

Cid soon realized that she was pointing at the Royal Roice, the finest hotel in Midgar.

"I got us a room for tonight!" she said happily.

He stared in disbelief.

"I'll prove it!" she exclaimed as she grabbed his hand again and led him into the hotel.

She checked in and took him up to their third floor room.

When they go there, Cid noticed a pair of khakis, a golf shirt, and a sport jacket hanging on the closet. He then looked at Shera.

"Well," she said, "you don't want to be going around in a tux down there, do you?"

Cid shook his head.

"I, for one, need to get out of this bridesmaid gown," Shera continued as she went into the bathroom and closed the door behind her.

For once, she had pleasantly surprised him.

Excited about seeing Coveter's Row for the first time in years, Cid quickly changed into the clothes she had left for him.

A few minutes later, Shera emerged from the bathroom. She was wearing a yellow baby tee and a green wrap-around mini-skirt, with a pair of sneakers. She looked cute and sexy at the same time.

Cid was amazed; it was a side of Shera he had never seen before, as he was used to her in her khakis and lab coat.

"So," Shera began as she took his hand again. "Ready to hit the town?"

"You bet your ass!" he replied enthusiastically.

10:30 p.m.

Cloud and Tifa ascended the stairs to the top deck of the ferry as the Western Continent disappeared from view. They were out in the ocean now, between the Continent and the private island.

Tifa was silent for a moment; they were only a half an hour away from their destination. She began to feel somewhat nervous; they would be seeing each other naked for the very first time. She certainly wanted it, but, as it was a new experience for her, she could not help but feel somewhat apprehensive about it.

She realized that the least she could do is talk to her husband as the ferry steamed slowly towards the island.

"So I never did ask," Tifa began, "what did you think of my cowgirl outfit five years ago."

Cloud looked at his wife and smiled.

"I thought it was pretty hot," he replied. "It was the most I had seen of you."

Tifa smiled.

"Until later tonight," she reminded him. "You'll be seeing a lot more of me than in my cowgirl outfit."

"Where did you get it?" Cloud asked.

"Tobin wrote in his journal that he thought I either got it from a Halloween store or an adult shop." She paused. "It was an adult shop."

Cloud's eyes widened in surprise.

"How did you get past the age restriction?" he asked.

"I used my mom's ID," Tifa laughed. "We did look alike, didn't we?"

Before Cloud could respond, both he and Tifa heard the sound of splashing.

Tifa went to the ledge and peered over, gasping as she did so.

"Look, Cloud, dolphins!" she exclaimed.

Cloud joined his wife at the ledge, watching the creatures hop out of the water. He had never seen them in the wild before, and he realized that, upon viewing them, they were truly majestic creatures.

And then, without warning, or perhaps semi-consciously, Cloud felt himself raising his hand to the same level of Tifa's neck, gently stroking the nape with his fingertips. He could feel goosebumps almost immediately.

"Lie down," Tifa suddenly whispered.

Cloud was somewhat confused.

"On the deck?" he asked.

She nodded. "On your back."

Cloud did as he was commanded.

A moment later, Tifa lowered herself down to his level, straddled herself at his waist, bent down, and kissed him passionately.

"I love you," she whispered before kissing him harder.

A spark of passion ignited in the young newlyweds as they continued to kiss deeply, their tongues pressing hard against each other. Tifa ran her hands up and down the sides of his chest, as Cloud ran his hands over her back.

And then, Tifa stopped the kissing. Still straddling her husband, she sat up straight, and looked him in the eyes.

Cloud returned the look, expecting her to say something.

Instead, Tifa reached back, gripped her tank top, pulled it over her head, and tossed it aside, revealing her blue bikini top.

"For the jacuzzi tonight," she said with a smile before bending down and pressing her lips against his once more.

Cloud ran his hands over Tifa's mostly bare back. He ran them over her shoulders. He ran them over her sides.

Tifa could not describe how she was feeling at the moment; she was feeling many things at once. She felt sexy. She felt passionate. But, most importantly, with her shirt off and in her bikini top, she felt vulnerable.

Cloud's kissing suddenly became more passionate. He moved from her mouth to her neck. He then began to slowly inch his way to her still-covered breasts, expecting her to object at some point. But she did not.

And then, the ferry jerked to a stop.

The kissing and caressing ceased.

Tifa slowly sat up, and smiled at Cloud.

"I think we're here," she laughed.

She quickly slipped her tank top back on, stood up, and helped Cloud to his feet.

"And we were just getting warmed up," he laughed.

"A lot more will come off on the island," she said with a smile. "Trust me."

They then descended to the lower deck.

10:45 p.m.

Zack and Yuffie arrived in Rocket Town as most of the lights began to switch off for the night.

Zack sighed in relief; he was glad to be away from that mountain. Still, he had to deal with the fact that he had to cross through there again on the way back. It was not something he had wanted to do.

_Maybe after I drop Yuffie off, I'll get a room at the hotel myself,_ he thought. _Then I can head back in the morning._

Yuffie led Zack into the hotel and to her room. She unlocked the door and led him inside, clicking on the lights as she did so.

Zack checked his cell phone, and noticed that the hour was late.

_She's going to crash,_ he thought. _She'll probably thank me for the date, hug me good-bye, and then, I'll be on my way. I'll then book my own room._

"So, Yuffie," Zack began, "I'll be heading home now."

Yuffie immediately turned around and put her hands on her hips.

"Where do you think you're going?" she demanded. "You're still my date for another hour and fifteen!" She then picked up a brown paper bag that had been so conveniently left by the door. "I'm going to change in the bathroom. You get changed out here."

"Changed for what?" Zack asked in confusion.

"Swimming!" Yuffie replied enthusiastically as she reached into the bag and pulled out a pair of black trunks, tossing them to Zack.

"Swimming?" he asked.

Yuffie nodded as she went into the bathroom. "This hotel has a pool," she explained before closing the door behind her.

"This has been an interesting day," he said to himself.

"Hurry up and change!" Yuffie called from the bathroom. "Before I come out and see you naked, and then it would be _really_ awkward!"

10:55 p.m.

The ferry disappeared over the horizon as Cloud and Tifa stood alone on the dock of the private island.

Tifa looked to both her left and to her right; there was a beautiful beach on each side. Looking straight again, she could see the starlight night sky, complete with a full moon that reflected beautifully on the ocean water. She then turned around, and beheld the cabin.

This was it.

This was their wedding night.

"Well," she began, eyeing the cabin, "shall we?"

"We shall," Cloud replied with a smile.

The newlyweds took each other's hands and slowly walked to the other end of the dock, where the wood flooring became a path.

A few yards into the path, there was a rope hammock tied to two trees.

"Oh, Cloud!" Tifa exclaimed. "Can we sleep in it a couple nights while we're here?"

"Absolutely," Cloud agreed.

A few yards further, and they were under the cabin. That building was elevated a story from the ground. A sole revolving, wooden staircase provided the means of entry.

"I guess this is the way in!" Tifa said, smiling at Cloud.

"I know you don't like to be picked up," he said, "but I suppose I can carry you up."

Tifa thought for a moment.

"Actually," she finally replied, "I'd like to lead you up. If that's okay."

"It's more than okay," Cloud approved.

Smiling, Tifa took his hand and led him up the stairs.

Cloud did not mind the least that he had married a strong and independent woman. He realized it really was her victory; she had safely rescued her father, and married the man she had always wanted to. She had planned everything herself; she had every right to lead him on. Plus, it was giving him a decent view of her backside, which looked incredible in the jeans she was wearing. He then considered the possibility that she wanted to tease him a bit.

Soon, the newlyweds reached the top of the stairs. They found themselves in a sitting area, with a sofa, loveseat, and a television. There was no door sealing the cabin; the island provided all the security and privacy they needed.

Tifa scanned their surroundings. To the right, behind the sofa and the loveseat, was the bathroom. Turning further to the right, Tifa could see the bedroom, complete with a king-sized bed. And then, turning in the opposite direction, Tifa could see another room.

It was the room with the hot tub.

"Well," said Tifa with a smile, "here we are."


	75. And

Premonitions II: Crisis Core

Chapter 75: And...

Saturday, February 2, 0008

11:00 p.m.

Zack stood in the hotel room, having changed into his trunks rather quickly, unsure of how much time he had. She was right; he would be beyond embarrassed if Yuffie, who was still changing in the bathroom, had walked in on him in his natural state.

He glanced at the clock, which read 11:00.

_Just one more hour, _he thought. _I can do this. The pool will close at midnight, if not sooner. Yuffie will crash, I'll be free. I'll get a room and head back tomorrow. And..._

He then, at that moment, realized that he was at a crossroads. Not only was he free from the Island Gulag, but nobody was pursuing him. For the first time in over a year, he was safe. But there was somewhat of a downside: he had no job, and he had no idea where to go.

_Maybe I can take on the Continental Governor,_ he thought to himself. _There's enough evidence to put her away for life. Then...maybe we can steer the Western Continent to full democracy. That's something had hasn't been seen in decades. That way, I can really be a hero to everyone._

Just then, the bathroom door opened, and Yuffie emerged, wearing a black bikini. She looked at Zack, and smiled.

"Ready?" she asked. "We have an hour."

"Ready," he replied.

_Let's get this over with._

11:05 p.m.

Cloud and Tifa stood in the sitting room of their cabin on the private island. They were at the end of their journey for the day. It was here that they would be spending the next week. The whole island would be theirs.

Now they were both silently standing there. There was no further destination until they were picked up by the ferry a week later. All that was there would be the island, the facilities, and, most importantly, each other.

Tifa glanced at the hot tub beyond the open door. She wanted to get in, but...

_There's no need to rush,_ she thought to herself. _This is the man I love. __It would be nice if I could treat him._

"Sit down," Tifa commanded, breaking the silence.

"In the chair?" Cloud asked.

She nodded.

"I've got a little treat for you."

He sat down in the chair as told. Moments later, he felt a pair of loving hands on his shoulders.

"You risked your life for me this week," Tifa began as she began to knead. "Not for the planet, but for me. I'll think of a way to make it up to you later, but, for now, a massage is the least I can do for you."

Tifa got one knot out after the other as Cloud felt weeks of tension ease from him. She then withdrew her hands, and slowly walked around the chair, stopping a foot in front of her new husband with her back turned to him.

"What's on your mind?" he asked.

"The one downside to getting married at twenty is that I'm too young to drink champagne!" she laughed.

Cloud noticed that Tifa was wearing a double-grommet leather belt, something nobody over twenty-two ever wore. It reminded him of how young they were. Of course, as they each had their prime self's memories, they both felt a lot older. But, in any case, he used this time to scan her body, reminding himself of how young, and beautiful, his new bride was.

He placed his hand affectionately on the small of her back. And then, perhaps instinctively, he slid his hand down lower, allowing it to rest on her butt through her jeans.

Tifa did not object. They were married now, and the sensation was more than welcome. She put her hand on top of his.

"Cloud," she said, "you're my husband now, but you'll always be my best friend first."

"Same here," he replied.

Tifa wanted to think of something more to say, but her mind soon went elsewhere.

The sensation of his hand on her backside was getting to her.

In every way.

_It's time,_ she thought.

"Listen," she began, "I'm going to get in the hot tub."

She began to make her way to the room before turning around and pointing to their small bag of luggage.

"You have a pair of trunks in there," Tifa informed him. "Wait until I call you to come in, okay?"

"Okay," Cloud agreed.

He was somewhat confused, but went along with it anyway; there had to be a surprise.

With that, Tifa walked into the room with the hot tub, and closed the door behind her.

All that was for Cloud to do was change into his swim trunks, and wait.

11:10 p.m.

Zack and Yuffie made their way down the hall and into the pool area. As soon as they did, Yuffie made a disappointed face.

There were kids playing in the pool; splashing, doing cannonballs, and squirting each other with their hands.

"What are kids doing up at eleven, anyway?" she complained.

"Beats me," Zack replied.

Yuffie scanned the pool area, looking for the spot furthest away for the noisy kids. A moment later, her eyes caught a sighed that solved the problem: NO ONE UNDER THIRTEEN PERMITTED IN JACUZZI.

"Eureka!" Yuffie exclaimed as she looked downward to behold the jacuzzi the sign pertained to.

She immediately grabbed Zack's wrist and led him over.

"Thank God!" she exclaimed as she stepped into the Jacuzzi and sat down.

Zack stood outside, hesitant as usual.

"Excuse you!" she called. "We're on a date for another fifty minutes! Get your butt in here!"

He sighed as he climbed in and sat down next to her.

Yuffie immediately put her arm around him.

Zack began to tense up.

"It's a date," she reminded him. "You're supposed to cuddle with your date."

Not in the mood to argue, Zack put his arm around Yuffie, letting his hand rest on her bare shoulder.

_This isn't so bad,_ he thought. _She is right. That is what you do when you're on a date._

And then, he began to tense up again.

_I remember._

"What's up?" Yuffie asked, still sensing the vibe.

"It's a date," Zack replied. "I haven't been on one in years. It feels like I'm starting over, but I guess I have to."

Yuffie quietly rubbed his bare shoulder. She felt somewhat guilty about demanding a date with him without considering what he had been through.

"I was almost engaged once," he continued. "I think. And then I end up in a tube for four years."

_Damn,_ thought Yuffie. _He's been through a lot._

She tightened her grip on the shoulder her arm was around.

And then, she rested her head on his free one.

11:15 p.m.

Tobin and Cissnei arrived back in Cosmo Canyon. She parked the car, and they quietly made their way to their hallway. They held hands the entire way.

Cissnei smiled with her eyes closed. She was overwhelmed, but in a good way. All she had wanted was her best friend back. Instead, she got him back, and she married him. It was the most wonderful surprise she had ever had; they were now bound to each other.

As Cisseni took her keys out of her jeans pocket and began to open the door to their apartment, something crossed Tobin's mind.

_Aren't I supposed to carry her in?_ he thought. _I've never carried a girl before, but...we did just get married._

As soon as the door was opened, he, to his new wife's surprise, wrapped his arms around her waist and picked her up as few inches off the ground.

Cissnei squealed in delight as she was lifted over the threshold, pressing her lips against his cheek.

Tobin gently set her down on the other side. It was not how a man traditionally carried his new bride, but it was the best he could do on such short notice.

Cissnei smiled, closed the door, and kissed him again. She then led Tobin over to the couch, and sat them both down, putting her arm around his shoulder.

"What a day!" she declared, and laughed.

She then smiled at Tobin, and lovingly stroked his hair.

"Feeling better?" she asked.

Tobin nodded.

"There's a special part of my heart that only you can fit in," Cissnei said. "I'm so happy the day turned out the way it did."

She then put her hand on his cheek and kissed him.

"Sorry if I'm too affectionate," she laughed. "But do you have any idea how many times I've wanted to kiss you?"

It was true; she had a lot of affection for him bottle up over the years.

"A lot?" he asked.

"Bingo!" she declared before kissing him once more.

Tobin wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close.

"Like when we reunited outside of Midgar," she continued. "But I knew we had to save Zack. And...it kind of felt like you wanted to kiss me, too."

"I was tempted," he admitted.

She smiled and kissed his cheek.

"So, what now?" he asked.

"Let's plan a honeymoon!" Cissnei replied enthusiastically. "I know it make take a while to plan, but it's something I'd like to do if you would."

"I would," Tobin agreed.

"Where were you having in mind?" she asked.

"Costa del Sol?" he suggested.

"Tempting," she replied. "I haven't worn a bikini in forever."

"Or we could go on a ski trip on the Northern Continent," he said.

"I do like to ski," Cissnei replied. "But I like the beach a lot better."

"Sure thing," Tobin said.

Cissnei then stood up, and stretched.

"But we can talk about that tomorrow," she continued. "I'm off to bed."

She turned around, leaned over, and kissed Tobin once more before making her way across the common area and disappearing into her bedroom.

Tobin sat back, and sighed in amazement.

He had married Cissnei.

He had certainly not seen that coming at the beginning of the day. In any case, he had no regrets about it any more than his beautiful, red-headed bride did.

And then, out of the corner of his eye, Tobin realized that she did not shut and lock the door as usual.

11:20 p.m.

Cloud paced the sitting room.

He had changed into his swim trunks, but the door to the room with the hot tub had been closed for ten minutes. It should not take her this long to change into her bikini, especially since, as he had seen on the ferry, she seemed to be wearing it under her clothes.

He then stopped pacing, and scanned his surroundings. He could not believe where he was; he was on his honeymoon. Just eight weeks ago, he and Tifa were strictly platonic. Before that, he was thirty years old in the original timeline, and Tifa was married to Bo. In that timeline, he terribly regretted not telling her how he felt.

But now, that timeline was gone; there would be no regrets this time. She was his. Nothing would change that now.

"Cloud?" Tifa's voice suddenly called from the other side of the door. "I'm ready."

"C-coming," he somewhat stammered.

He began to make his way to the closed door, wondering what he would see on the other side.

Then, he turned the knob, and slowly opened it.

A beaming Tifa was in the hot tub, facing him. She was on her knees, and Cloud could only see her from the chest up. She was still wearing her earrings, and had reapplied her lipstick, as well as the rest of her makeup.

_So that's it,_ Cloud realized. _She wanted to look beautiful._

He could also see her blue bikini top; he found her beautiful and sexy at the same time.

"This water feels good!" Tifa declared.

"I'll bet it does," he replied.

"Seriously," she insisted, "I thought it was going to be too hot or too cold, but it's perfect."

Tifa then sat up, extending Cloud's visibility of her to half an inch below her belly button.

"So," she continued, "out of the corner of my eye, I saw a gaming system and a copy of Mousetrap in the other room. Someone knew we were coming!"

Cloud smiled, and decided that he had to acknowledge her beauty.

"So that was what kept you?" he asked. "To put you're makeup on?"

"Maybe," she laughed.

"You look beautiful," he complimented.

"Thanks!" Tifa said with a smile. "You definitely make this lady feel special!"

"Because you are," Cloud said.

Tifa blew him a kiss. She then lowered herself to her knees again. She became quiet.

_It's time for him to see,_ she thought.

"So Cloud," she began. "There's actually another surprise."

"What's that?" he asked.

"You'll have to see," Tifa replied with a nervous smile. She then pointed to her left, to a spot on the side of the tub. "Why don't you walk there and stop?"

"Why stop there?" Cloud asked.

"You'll see," she insisted.

Curious, Cloud made his way to the side that his wife had designated. Looking forward, all he saw was the wall, and the island out the window. He then turned to Tifa to admit he did not get the surprise.

And then, as he saw the side view of her, he noticed.

He could only see flesh where here bikini bottoms should be. The blue bikini top was all she was wearing. She was naked from below that.

"Surprise!" she said with a smile.

Cloud felt his mouth dry; he had not seen that coming. He knew he would be seeing her naked tonight, but he thought he would have more time to prepare. Now, here she was.

"W-where are your bottoms?" he naturally asked, although he knew that it was a silly question.

"Off," she replied as she briefly looked down. She turned her head to face him, and smiled. "Well, I can't wear bikini bottoms if they say "Lockheart" on them. It's not my last name anymore!"

Cloud was at a loss for words; the inevitable moment had come. He had trouble focusing, of course; he kept staring at his wife's bare flesh where her bikini bottoms should be.

Tifa, meanwhile, felt her heart racing. She knew he could see her; it was the most any living person had ever seen of her. She knew this moment would come, and the feelings were exactly how she had expected them; she was nervous and excited at the same time.

"Welcome to married life!" she laughed.

Unknown to Cloud, she was saying it to both him, and herself.

As Tifa laughed, Cloud could see her perfect teeth. Scanning her mostly naked body, he again admired her beauty.

Then, she looked at him sincerely.

"I love you," she said.

The sincere look in her chestnut eyes would always touch his heart, regardless of the circumstances.

"And I love you," he replied.

Tifa was now beginning to feel easier. The moment had passed; he had seen her. They were married now; they would be spending a long, long time together. She was now ready to invite him into the tub with her.

She slightly bobbed her lower half in the tub, giving Cloud a brief, momentary view of her butt cleavage.

Cloud's own heart was beginning to accelerate. It had sunk in.

"Well," Tifa continued with a smile, "you're not going to leave your wife in here all by herself, are you?"

Cloud simply shook his head. His heart beat even faster, as he knew she had just invited him in.

"Well, get your butt in here!" she laughed as she pointed to a spot behind her.

Cloud swallowed, slowly made his way to the hot tub, stepped in, and sat down behind his bride. He was immediately greeted by the sight of Tifa's beautiful, exposed rear-end, submerged in the water but clearly visible, and mere inches in front of him. He had spent his adolescence and early adulthood wondering what it looked like. Now he knew. He was beginning to sweat.

"See?" she asked. "What did I tell you? Doesn't it feel good."

"Yeah," he replied quietly.

She knew he was gazing at her butt, but she could not care less. It was their wedding night.

"I thought about wearing my bridal veil in here," she continued, "but it would break my heart if that thing got wet."

"It would be," he replied.

He was still eying her bare bottom.

Tifa could still tell this, and laughed to herself. She had been frequently complimented on her breasts, but it was a relief that a different part of her had captured a man's attention.

And then, she began to feel chills up her spine. The fact that he could see her naked behind made her feel...vulnerable.

And she then realized what would intensify that feeling.

_It's time for him see more,_ she thought.

Tifa slowly stood up, allowing the water to drip off of her body. She hesitated for a moment, and turned around, giving Cloud a view of all her glory.

She gave him a few moments to check out her exposed lower half. Her realization had proven correct; she now felt more vulnerable than ever.

Cloud, meanwhile, sat in awe. The most private person he had ever known now stood before him, nearly naked, and made no effort to hide herself, wanting him to look at her.

Tifa suddenly signaled for him to stand up.

He did so.

Then, she placed her hands on his shoulders, leaned in, and kissed him.

Cloud placed his hands on her bare hips, and kissed her back. He then kissed her more deeply.

They then broke the kiss, and stood for a moment, smiling lovingly at each other.

"Well, this is amusing!" Tifa laughed.

"What?" he asked.

"You're topless and I'm bottomless."

She then released her husband, and turned around, returning to her original position on her knees. She took her left hand at patted the rim of the pool next to her, signaling for him to come and join her.

Cloud took the hint, and lowered himself onto his own knees next to his wife.

"We did it!" Tifa said enthusiastically as she high-fived Cloud. "Fuck yeah!"

"We did it," he repeated as he admired their matching wedding bands.

"See?" she continued with a smile. "I told you we could be both best friends and a couple at the same time!"

Before Cloud could respond, Tifa leaned in and kissed him once more. Their tongues quickly met as the two young newlyweds shared another passionate kiss.

Cloud took his right hand and placed it just below Tifa's neck. He then slowly ran it over her bikini top and down her back, stopping briefly at the small. He then ran his hand further down to her bare butt, and began to slowly rub it in circles.

"How does that feel?" he whispered as he broke the kiss.

"Good," she whispered back. "Touch me there."

More sparks began to ignite in the young bride as she pressed her lips against his again, kissing him more hungrily than ever.

As passion began to fill him, Cloud stopped his right hand on her exposed left buttock, and gently squeezed it.

Tifa let out a moan.

A soft, sexy moan.

"Okay," she said. "I'm ready."

Cloud, in a rare moment, knew exactly what she meant. She was ready to consummate their relationship.

"Are you sure?" he asked.

Tifa nodded.

"I'm ready to take this next step," she replied. "Right here, like this."

Cloud nodded, and disappeared behind her.

Tifa waited silently; in a few moments, she would no longer be a virgin.

She heard the sound of Cloud slipping his trunks off and dropping them on the rim of the tub. She then felt his hands on her bare hips.

She closed her eyes, and braced herself.

11:30 p.m.

Tobin continued to sit on the couch. He kept glancing at his own wedding band, and finally understood why neither of them had any regrets. They both had hidden feelings for each other for years. They both already lived together, and, at the venue, they had every person they knew and loved that was still alive. The perfect moment had come for them when they had least expected it.

_I guess that's the way life works out,_ Tobin realized. _ Sometimes, you don't get to plan for a moment. Sometimes, it just comes._

At that moment, Cissnei called for him.

"Tobin?" she called. "Aren't you coming in?

Tobin looked toward Cissnei's bedroom. The light was still on, and the door was still open. But, he knew Cissnei all too well. At this time of night, wouldn't she be...?

"Aren't you cartoon animal style?" he called back.

"Yes," Cissnei replied.

Tobin scratched his head. She was cartoon animal style, yet the door to her bedroom was wide open. And then, he realized.

"I'm also your wife," she added.

_That's right,_ he thought. _We got married. And we get everything that goes with it._

Tobin slowly got up, and began to make his way toward the open door. He felt his heart beginning to accelerate.

_I was so lost in the moment when I said yes to marrying her that I didn't even consider the wedding night,_ he thought. _I didn't consider we would be seeing each other...naked._

He took step after step, slowly approaching Cissnei's open bedroom door. The light was still on, and he could see her queen-sized bed, along with her night table and lamp thereon. But he could not yet see her.

He had sometimes wondered what she looked like naked, but quickly banished those thoughts from his head, having never expected to elevate his relationship with her beyond a deep friendship. But now, it was different. She was his wife, she was somewhere in her bedroom half-naked, and she was a hundred percent okay with him seeing her that way.

He then realized something else.

_It's not her bedroom anymore,_ he thought. _It's our bedroom._

Finally, he reached the open doorway. Pausing for a few seconds, Tobin then stepped into the bedroom that they now would share.

Light and warmth greeted him immediately upon entering. At first, he still saw only the bed and nearby furniture.

_Where is she?_ he thought.

Then, he turned his head to the left.

There stood Cissnei, facing him with a smile on her face. She was wearing a blue tee shirt that stopped just above her waist. Nothing else.

"There you are!" she said happily.

"H-here I am," he stammered, immediately, instinctually, focusing on her naked lower half.

Cissnei did not mind at all.

"Go ahead," she permitted. "You can check me out. I _am_ your wife, you know."

Tobin did as he was permitted; he never knew she had beautiful legs.

Then, Cissnei turned a hundred and eighty degrees.

"Here," she said, as she patted her exposed rear end with both of her hands. "It's my butt. See?"

Tobin found her derriere to be pretty nice, even though it was most certainly not the reason he had married her.

She then turned around again, and walked up to him, stopping two feet away.

"I just realized something," she said with a smile. "After all these years, I've never introduced myself using my real name."

"That's okay," Tobin assured her. "Like I said, Cissnei will always be your real name to me."

Cissnei shook her head.

"I want to do it anyway," she insisted. She then, to Tobin's curiosity, stretched out her right hand. "My name is Alicia Lockheart!" She then playfully shook his hand as her eyes became wet. "It felt so good saying that!"

It felt good for Tobin as well; she showed her love for him by taking his name. It was another thing he had not considered.

The two newlyweds then kissed, lightly at first, but the kiss soon grew deeper. They quickly felt their tongues pressing against each other.

It was a new feeling for Cissnei; who had had her first kiss just earlier that day. It was a welcome feeling.

After the kiss was broken, she smiled before making her way to the bed and sitting down.

Tobin gazed at his wife; the side view of her sitting naked from the waist down was something he found surprisingly...sexy.

"Well, are you going to just stand there?" Cissnei asked with a smile. "I'd kind of like to have sex with my husband."

That did it; Tobin practically charged toward the bed.

11:35 p.m.

Cloud sat back in the hot tub, catching his breath.

Tifa remained on her knees as before, only now, her hair was a sweaty mess. Catching her own breath, she slowly took the reality in.

She was no longer a virgin. She had made love to the man of her dreams.

"You okay?" Cloud gasped.

"I don't...think I can move!" Tifa laughed as she rested her head on the rim of the hot tub. "And I thought it was guys who always got tired from sex!"

"Me, too, actually," Cloud agreed.

"I've never been this worn out in my life," Tifa continued. "I must have one long gone wild mind of a vagina."

She then sat back, resting her back against Cloud's bare chest.

Cloud lovingly wrapped his arms around her midriff and kissed her softly on the cheek.

Tifa was content. Despite being a strong woman, she realized how safe she felt with his arms wrapped around her. The feeling of her bare butt on the skin of his thighs was most certainly welcome as well; skin-to-skin contact was something she had been looking forward to almost as much as the lovemaking.

And yet, fatigue began to take her. It had been a very long day.

"You okay?" Cloud repeated, noticing the silence.

"My butt hurts," she replied.

"Need to get out?" he asked.

"It is getting late," she admitted. "I'm fading fast."

The two newlyweds slowly climbed out of the hot tub. After drying each other off, they made their way, hand-in-hand, through the sitting room, and into the bedroom, both climbing onto the king-sized bed that awaited them.

Tifa knelt on her knees, facing away from Cloud.

There was a mirror in front of the bed, and it reminded Tifa that she still had her blue bikini top on. Knowing Cloud had a front view of her reflection, she pointed her chest toward the mirror, and smiled back at him.

"Well," she laughed, "it's not going to take itself off!"

Again taking the hint, Cloud raised himself to his knees behind his wife. He slowly gripped her bikini top and began to lift it.

Tifa raised her arms as the bikini top slid off.

Both looked in the mirror, watching her now-exposed breasts spring free.

Tifa, now completely nude, turned toward her husband. She gently stroked his face for a few moments before kissing him. She then wrapped her arms around him and hugged him tightly, savoring the feeling of the skin of his chest against the skin of hers.

After breaking the embrace, she gently lay him down on his back. She then reached over and switched the light off. Finally, she rested her head on his chest as he stroked her bare back.

"I love you so much, Cloud," she said, with a tone of emotion in her voice.

"I love you, too, Tifa," Cloud said.

Soon, they were both asleep.

11:40 p.m.

Tobin and Cissnei sat naked on the bed, each with their legs folded, and facing each other.

Still sweaty from their lovemaking, the two newlyweds gazed into each other's eyes as they both caught their breath, both with beaming smiles on their faces.

And then, Cissnei suddenly felt a wave of joy rush through her as she gazed at the man she loved. She rested her head against his shoulder for a few moments before lovingly placing her hand on his cheek.

"Thank you," she said lovingly.

"For what?" Tobin asked.

"For being so amazing. So perfect. So wonderful," she replied with a smile.

With that, she wrapped her arms around her husband and hugged him tightly; she was immediately greeted to the feeling of his bare skin.

"Your skin feels so good," she whispered as she tightened the hug.

She had remembered what Tifa had said; how she had looked forward to having Cloud's skin on her. He was right; Cissnei found the feeling of Tobin's skin on hers the most wonderful feeling yet.

Cissnei kissed Tobin's shoulder before smiling at him and kissing him on the mouth. She then held him tightly to her own chest, kissing the top of his forehead.

_I love this,_ she thought.

Tobin raised his head, kissing his wife once more.

"Today was so special," she choked, full of emotion.

She kissed him again, and rested her head on his bare chest.

_I knew it would feel good,_ she thought. _But I wasn't expecting to feel so emotional!_

Tears formed in her eyes and ran down her cheeks. She could no longer hold anything back.

"You okay?" Tobin asked as he gently stroked her bare back.

"I lost a best friend and got back a husband," she replied. "I feel like the luckiest girl in the world!"

They continued to kiss for a few minutes more before laying down in bed and turning off the light. They remained facing each other, smiling at the fortune that befell them that day.

"I love you," Cissnei said before closing her eyes.

"I love you, too," he replied.

11:45 p.m.

"So, Yuffie," Zack suddenly asked. "Something's been on my mind from the beginning."

They were still in the jacuzzi, but he was no longer watching the time.

"Shoot," she permitted.

"Back at Fort Tamblin," he began, "did you realize you could have been killed that night?"

"Yes," she replied.

"But you were only..."

"Nine," Yuffie finished.

Zack sighed.

"By SOLDIER definitions, anyone who interferes with a mission is considered a threat," he pointed out.

"Even little girls?" she asked.

"You bet," he replied.

"Then can I ask you something?" Yuffie requested.

"Shoot," Zack replied, echoing his date.

"How old was the youngest person ever killed by a SOLDIER member?"

He gave her a sincere look.

"Ten years old," he answered.

"Seriously?" she asked.

"By Sephiroth," Zack added. "I know he's a nasty guy, but he was doing his job. In SOLDIER, you have to eliminate every possible threat."

"And yet you spared me," she said. "You disobeyed protocol and let me live. Why?"

Zack stared at the ceiling.

"I dunno," he replied. "I guess...something just told me you're better off alive than dead. Killing you wouldn't have done you any good."

Yuffie sat silently for a few moments. Then, she found herself placing her hand to her heart. She was beyond touched.

_He could have killed me every time I steered him afoul,_ she thought. _But he never did. Hmm..._

"Hey! You two!" exclaimed the lifeguard. "We're closing!"

"But the sign said you're open 'til midnight!" Yuffie protested.

"It's close enough," the lifeguard said. "I want to go home and fuck my old lady."

She sighed and folded her arms.

"That was more than I wanted to know," she complained.

"I said I want to go home and fuck my old lady!" the lifeguard repeated. "Now get out!"

Defeated, Zack and Yuffie climbed out of the tub and left the pool room, but they did end up getting the last laugh.

"Hey!" exclaimed the lifeguard again. "Where are your towels?"

"Sorry, bud," Zack replied. "We kind of forgot."

"You'll get water all over the carpet!" the lifeguard complained.

"Go fuck yourself," Yuffie retorted. "Buy another carpet!"

Zack and Yuffie went back to the room, leaving a trail of water along the way. As soon as they got in, Yuffie led him to the bathroom, grabbed herself a towel, and tossed another one to Zack. They both began to dry themselves off.

"That was hilarious!" she laughed.

"Now he has to stay late and clean it," he added. "So much for his old lady."

Yuffie laughed again, finished drying herself, and tossed her towel onto the curtain rod.

"I really had fun today," she complimented, and smiled, aiming her face directly at his. "And, Zack," she continued, "you really touched my heart when you told me you spared my miserable life."

She looked into his eyes gently.

_She's not going to kiss me, is she?_ Zack thought. _I'm old enough..._

Instead, she stepped a couple of feet back.

_Whew. That's a relief._

And then, Yuffie pulled down her bikini bottoms, turing around as she did so, and stepped out of them.

_Ho-ly shit!_

"I'm your girl for ten more minutes," Yuffie announced as she quickly slipped off her bikini top and placed her hands on the sink, positioning herself. "Can you do a quickie?"

_No!_ he dismissed to himself. _There's unacceptable, there's bizarre, and then there's this._

And yet, at the same time, he found himself discarding his swim trunks, making his way over to the naked Yuffie, standing behind her, and placing his hands on her delicate hips.

_Fuck it, I've given in._

11:50 p.m.

"Almost midnight," muttered Shera as she paced around the still-open convenience store in the hotel lobby. "Almost midnight."

Cid was pacing around himself, waiting for the exact same moment.

They had spent the majority of their time in Coveter's Row at the gaming kiosks; they were really the only places that would allow Shera in.

The clock in the store read 11:51.

They had tried to get into the casino, but were turned away on account of Shera's age.

"You're only seventeen," the guard informed her. "I can't let you pass."

"I'll be eighteen in less than two hours!" Shera protested. "What am I seriously going to learn in that time?"

"That nobody makes exceptions," the guard replied as he pointed his finger.

The clock in the store read 11:52.

They had tried to get into the clubs as well, but they would not let Shera in, either.

"Come back when you're twenty-one," the bouncer told her.

"Don't you know girls are done growing by fifteen?" Shera protested. "My liver's not going to change!"

"Discuss it with the Continental Governor!" the bouncer retorted before pointing his finger as well.

The clock in the store read 11:53.

They settled at the gaming kiosks. Shera had found the Mog game, much to Cid's annoyance. Fortunately, it was right next to Mousetrap, so Cid had few complaints.

The clock in the store read 11:54.

"Why does age even have to be a thing?" Shera protested as she continued to pace. "Can't they just have maturity tests or something?"

"Hell, no!" Cid dismissed.

Shera stopped pacing, and put her hands on her hips.

"Why not?!" she demanded.

"Because I'd fail miserably," he replied.

Shera giggled; he was probably right.

And then, the clock in the store read 11:55.

"Can we go up?" she requested. "By the time we get there..."

Cid nodded.

"Yeah," he said, "let's go."

He took her hand and led her to the elevator.

She pushed the button, and, by the time the doors opened, the clock read 11:56.

_Four more minutes_, Cid thought.

The two of them held hands all the way up.

Shera's knees were trembling; she had heard what the first time would be like. But she wanted to share it with him, so she kept her confidence as best she could.

The elevator dinged, and they quietly stepped off and made their way to their room.

By the time they got inside, the clock read 11:58.

_Two minutes,_ Cid thought.

_These are going to be the longest two minutes of my life!_ Shera felt.

The two of them began to pace around the hotel room, glancing at the clock any chance they could get.

The clock then read 11:59.

The couple suspended their pacing, keeping their eyes on the clock.

The clock read 11:59.

Cid cracked his knuckles.

The clock read 11:59.

Shera took a deep breath.

The clock read 11:59.

Cid cracked his neck.

The clock read 11:59.

Shera cracked her own neck.

The clock read 11:59.

Shera cleared her throat.

The clock read 12:00.

Shera, wasting no time, immediately lunged at Cid, pressing her lips against his.

"Happy birthday," he gasped.

"Thanks," she gasped back before practically ripping off his sport jacket.

Cid responded by reaching under Shera's green wrap-around skirt and yanking her white panties to the ground.

"You're such a pervert," she teased as she stepped out of them.

She then gripped his golf shirt and pulled it over his head, tossing it aside.

Cid unbuttoned her wrap-around skirt, causing it to fall off with the greatest of ease, exposing Shera's lower half.

"I mean, I'm a grown-up now," she gasped in a rushed manner as she stood before him, clutching her now-bare bottom. "I know I can handle-"

Cid silenced her by pressing his lips against hers, picking her up, and carrying her over to the bed.


	76. The Day After

Premonitions II: Crisis Core

Chapter 76: The Day After

Sunday, February 3, 0008

7:00 a.m.

Tifa awoke.

As the world faded into view, the first thing she saw was Cloud's face; he was laying next to her, on his back, still fast asleep. She smiled at the sight; she had been waking up next to him for a week now, and it never got old. Sometimes, she felt like she could spend a great deal of time simply watching her love in slumber.

She then spotted his bare chest, and was briefly perplexed.

_Cloud never sleeps with his shirt off,_ she thought.

She then scanned his body to below his waist, and suddenly became surprised. Cloud was completely naked, and making no effort to hide himself. And then, she realized that she herself did not have a strip of clothing on. Slowly, the reality came back to her.

_Last night was our wedding night,_ she remembered. _It seemed to good to be true, but here we are!_

Tifa had never slept naked before. The feeling of the sheets on her bare skin was new to her. She looked at her hand; her wedding band was still there. Rising to her knees, she noticed the identical band on Cloud's hand. After all that time, she finally felt she was where she belonged.

And then, Cloud slowly opened his eyes.

A wave of love rushed through Tifa as she bent down and kissed him on the mouth.

"Good morning, love," she said with a smile.

"Morning," he groggily replied.

"Sleep well?" she asked with a smile.

"Sure did," he replied.

Tifa bent down and kissed him again. She then got off the bed and stood up. She turned around an stretched, giving Cloud a decent view of her bare backside. She then made her way over to the window, peering out at the ocean beyond the dock.

"It's so tempting," she said.

"What?" Cloud asked.

In response, Tifa turned around to face him, putting her hand on her bare hip. She stood before him naked, most definitely welcoming him to look at her.

"The water," she clarified. "It looks so clear, and it can't be cold. I'd kind of like to go for a swim if you're up for it."

"I think I am," Cloud replied with a smile. "You like skinny dipping?"

"I've never done it before!" Tifa laughed.

Cloud sat up.

"That's going to change today," he said.

Tifa nodded.

"I'll race you," she suggested with a grin.

"You're on," he replied.

"Perfect!" she announced as she immediately darted out of the bedroom.

"Hey!" Cloud exclaimed as he jumped out of the bed and began to chase after his wife. "You didn't give me the count off!"

"Life isn't fair, bud!" she laughed as she ran into the sitting room and disappeared down the spiral, wooden steps.

Cloud quickly followed her down, to the path, and beyond. Looking at the naked Tifa running down the boardwalk kept Cloud from checking for any objects below; he was fortunate the deck was clear.

And then, Tifa disappeared over the edge, followed by a splash.

Cloud reached the edge, closed his eyes, and jumped over himself. He then opened his eyes and beheld the underwater wonderland that now surrounded him. The water was perfectly clear. He could see beautifully colored fish swimming about, and kelp sporadically growing from the ground.

And, in front of him, was his wife.

Her hair, being underwater, spread in all directions. Her perfect, exposed breasts bobbed with the current.

She smiled at him for a moment. She then placed her hands on his shoulders, leaned in, and kissed him deeply.

"I love you," she mouthed before kissing him again, even more deeply than before.

And then, she suddenly darted upward to the surface.

Cloud followed her, gasping for breath once his head was above the water.

"Sorry!" she gasped as her now soaked hair began to drip on her bare shoulders. "We can't stay under there forever!"

"I figured," he replied.

"Kiss me," Tifa commanded.

Cloud obeyed.

Cloud and Tifa continued to kiss and swim for an hour. Then, they decided it was time to get out of the clear ocean water.

Tifa climbed the ladder on the side of the dock. Cloud followed her, allowing himself to view her from behind as she wrung her hair.

"How about I make dinner tonight?" she suggested as she continued to squeeze her long, brown hair, causing water to splatter on the dock.

"I thought you told me you couldn't cook to save your life," Cloud reminded her.

"Not on the stove," she corrected. "On that."

Cloud looked to see the gas grill a few yards away from the spiral staircase.

"Tobin showed me how to grill when we were training with Zangan," Tifa explained.

And then, goosebumps began to appear all over her body.

The two of them climbed the stairs, with Tifa leading him up by the hand. When the reached the top, Tifa pulled him in and held him close.

"Your skin," she whispered.

The skin contact made her feel close to him, and strong emotions fired through her mind. It was the most intimate she felt with him.

After remaining in that position for several minutes, kissing many times as they did, Tifa broke the embrace and walked past him.

Cloud stood still as Tifa walked into the bathroom. He then suddenly heard the shower start. He turned around to see her nude figure through the glass door. It was beautiful. It was sexy. He had to get in there.

"Can I come in?" he asked.

"Are you my husband?" she asked in response.

"Yes," he replied.

"Then get your naked butt in here!" she commanded.

Cloud quickly opened the glass shower door and stepped in behind Tifa. He wrapped his arms around her, and began to rock her gently.

Tifa smiled and relaxed in his arms; she had been looking forward to their first shower together as well.

And then, Cloud spotted the seat coming out of the shower wall.

"I want to bathe you," he said.

"Bathe me?" she asked skeptically.

"It's really romantic," he assured her. "Trust me."

He led her to the seat, and sat her down on his lap, wrapping one arm around her midriff and grabbing soap with the other.

Tifa was an independent woman, and was never fond of being taken care of. Still, she loved him, and wanted him to have the experience.

Cloud took the soap and began to rub it on her bare back. He then moved to her shoulders.

_This isn't so bad,_ Tifa realized. _Actually, I'm starting to like this._

He then lathered his hands, rubbing them on her arms, followed by her midriff, and, finally her breasts.

Tifa gasped; the act was indeed a turn-on. Still, she needed to control herself. The sex would come later.

"Stand up," he gently commanded.

Tifa did as she was told, and soon felt Cloud's soapy hands at her feet, slowly working their way up to her knees, her thighs, and finally her butt.

She gasped again; she never expected the moment to be so sensual.

Cloud then stood up. He squeezed the shampoo, and began to gently lather her hair. Once that was done, he turned her around, allowing the water to rinse out her beautiful hair.

Tifa then wrapped her arms around Cloud, kissed him, and held him close, resting her head on his chest.

"That was incredible," she whispered. She then made eye contact with her husband. "Can I bathe you?"

"Of course," he replied.

Smiling, Tifa sat down on the seat, sitting Cloud on her lap this time.

"Just relax," she said as she grabbed the soap.

She bathed her love exactly the way he bathed her. Once he was rinsed, they shut off the water, and dried each other off. Tifa then took the hair dryer and began to dry her hair. After that, she put on a bra, followed by her crop top that read "Wifey" on the front.

"Just for a few hours," she assured him. "I kind of already ordered it when I found out we were booked here."

"No worries," Cloud assured her. "Cartoon animal style, right?"

Tifa smiled, placed her hands on his shoulders, and kissed him. She then glanced at the television.

"So," she began with a smile, "up for a game of Mousetrap?"

"Of course," he replied.

Tifa set the game up and sat down on the floor.

Cloud stood in place, smiling at her. She might be his wife now, but she would always be his best friend as well.

"Quit staring at my butt crack," Tifa suddenly commanded.

Cloud blushed and sat down next to her.

8:00 a.m.

Tobin slowly opened his eyes.

His wife, Mrs. Alicia Lockheart, or Cissnei, as he had always known her, was facing him. Her eyes were closed, but she was smiling. Her shoulders were bare, reminding him that they were both naked. Her hand was resting in front of her face, with a beautiful wedding band on her ring finger.

And then, her beautiful brown eyes opened as well, and her smile grew wider.

"Hi!" she softly whispered before immediately wrapping her arm around him and pulling him close.

"Hi!" Tobin greeted back as he wrapped his own arm around her bare waist.

"I was afraid to wake up," she continued to whisper. "I was afraid that I would wake up alone, and that it had all been a dream."

"Me, too," Tobin admitted. "It did seem kind of too good to be true.

"Thank God it wasn't!" Cissnei laughed before pressing her lips against his.

Tobin then pinched her bare butt.

"Hey!" she exclaimed. "Excuse you!"

"Just making sure," he said innocently.

The newlyweds continued to snuggle for a few minutes before Cissnei sat up.

"You hungry?" she asked.

"Getting there," he replied.

"I can make us breakfast," she offered. "And that will be a first. I've never made breakfast in the nude before."

She then stood up, and led her husband to the kitchen. As she had said, she made breakfast in the nude, a first time for her.

They both then had breakfast in the nude, a first time for both of them.

Finally, Cissnei stood up and washed the dishes in the nude, another first time for her.

Tobin, meanwhile, remained seated at the kitchen table. As he continued to stare at the naked Cissnei washing the dishes, a naughty idea popped into his mind. He quietly got up, made his way over to his wife, and grabbed her bare hips.

"Tobin?!" she exclaimed in surprise.

And he began to kiss her neck.

And she began to enjoy the moment.

9:00 a.m.

In their Midgar hotel, Cid and Shera awoke at the same time.

"Hey there!" Shera greeted.

"Hey yourself," Cid replied, before remembering what day it was. "Happy birthday." He then quickly smacked her bare backside.

"Ow!" she exclaimed as she clutched the exposed flesh her boyfriend had slapped. "My butt! My butt!"

"Sorry!" he fake apologized.

"Yeah right," Shera sighed. "Now my butt hurts!" She paused. "And my boobs." She then placed a hand on her breasts through her shirt. "I think I slept with my bra on," Shera observed.

"We kind of passed out," Cid reminded her. "It got kind of wild."

Shera then touched her face. "And my glasses," she added.

"At least you didn't have to look for them!" he pointed out.

She then looked down at her feet. "And my shoes. That's a first."

"And you still slept," Cid mentioned.

"How could I not?" she asked. "We got to the next level of comfort."

"Next level of comfort?" he asked, realizing she was being her geeky self again.

"We broke the sex barrier," Shera replied. "That's another level of comfort with each other."

She got up out of bed, turned around, and stretched. She then walked into the bathroom. She looked into the mirror, briefly checking her face. Then she sat on the toilet.

"What are you doing?" Cid inquired.

"Breaking the next barrier and moving to the next level of comfort," she replied. "Going to the bathroom in front of each other.

Cid groaned and dropped his head on his pillow. He was not ready for_ that._

10:00 a.m.

Tifa dropped the dice and allowed them to roll.

"Seven," she said as she moved her token head seven spaces. "Your turn."

Cloud dutifully rolled. He was distracted, of course, as he kept glancing at Tifa's exposed lower half. He got two ones.

"Ooh," Tifa playfully taunted. "Snake eyes!"

The newlyweds were on the dock and on their knees, facing each other and playing a board game. Tifa still had her "Wifey" crop top on, but the fact that she was not wearing pants kept causing Cloud to look when he could, though he usually could not see more than her hips, legs, and, when she bent down to pick up the dice, the top of her butt cleavage. She would sit up every few turns, officially to stretch and fix her hair, unofficially to give Cloud a better view of her lower half, and to give herself a better view of the fully naked Cloud.

This routine went on for a couple of hours. Then, Tifa began to laugh softly to herself.

"What?" asked Cloud.

"When was the last time we played a board game?" Tifa asked with a smile.

"I was seven and you were six," he replied. "Before we had our gaming systems."

"We do go back that far, don't we?" she said as she picked up the dice.

It was one of Tifa's favorite thoughts. Most couples who end up married meet during late adolescence or early adulthood. But, in her life, Cloud was onstage from Scene One.

Smiling, she rolled the dice, and moved her token to the finish space.

"I won!" Tifa gloated.

"What do I have to do now?" Cloud playfully asked.

"Kiss me," she replied with a smile.

Smiling back, he pressed his lips against hers.

"Anything else?" he asked.

"You have to go back there," she replied as she pointed her thumb in the respective direction.

"Why back there?" he asked.

"Because I want to have sex now," she replied with a seductive smile. "That's why."

Without verbally responding, Cloud quickly nodded.

11:00 a.m.

Cissnei nestled her head against Tobin's chest as they cuddled on the kitchen floor, somewhat worn out from their lovemaking.

"Well," she began, "we've christened the kitchen."

"That just leaves the living-room," replied Tobin. "And the my old room."

She smiled at him happily for a few moments. The she sat up, looked lovingly down at Tobin, and began to stroke his hair.

"I'm so sorry I never told you how I felt," she apologized. "I mean, it was in my heart the whole time, but I just didn't know it."

Tobin then sat up himself. He took both of her hands in his.

"It's okay," he assured her. "Better late than never, right?"

Cissnei smiled. She then stood up, and helped Tobin to his feet.

"Come on," she commanded gently. "Let's take a shower together."

With that, she wrapped her arm around his lower back held him close. She then gently led him through the bedroom, into the bathroom, and into the shower. She turned on the water and, without asking, began to bathe him. She had years worth of love bottled up in her; she needed to release it.

He bathed her afterward. He then spotted the concrete seat, and another naughty idea popped into his mind. He sat down, and looked at his wife seductively.

"I'd like to go again," he said with a smile.

"I'd like to, too," she said with a bigger smile as she placed her hands on his shoulders. "Ready to christen the shower?"

12:00 p.m.

Yuffie and Zack sat silently in the hotel restaurant in Rocket Town. It was noon the next day; their "date" had been expired for twelve hours. They sat across from each other, eating their lunch, spending virtually the whole meal in silence. Neither of them could believe they had sex the previous night.

"Better not tell anybody," Yuffie finally warned.

"Better not, either," Zack warned back.

"Well," she said, "it's me for Wutai. So where to now for you? Nibelheim?"

"I guess," he replied.

"Hey!" she suddenly realized out loud. "Don't you have parents somewhere? In Gongaga?"

"If they're still alive," he replied. "And how did you know that?"

"Because I've met them!" Yuffie answered. "They _are_ still alive. Or at least they were back in December. You should go to them! They'd be happy to see you!"

"I dunno," Zack muttered.

"You don't know?!" she echoed.

"I mean, a lot of people did a lot of crazy stuff when Meteor was summoned. Myself included. I don't want to go there just to find out they killed themselves or died for a cause more bizarre than mine."

"But you don't know that," Yuffie insisted.

"No," Zack agreed. "I don't."

"There's only one way to find out," she reminded him.

"I'll think about it," he said.

Zack and Yuffie paid their separate checks.

Zack stood up, and walked away from the booth he had been sitting at. Now, there was nothing left to do but begin the return trip to Nibelheim.

And it was then that he felt something. Something he had not been expecting to feel.

It was Yuffie's hand, holding his.

"Why are you holding my hand?" she asked.

Zack gave her a look.

"Why are _you_ holding _my_ hand?" he responded.

He attempted to walk away, but Yuffie's grip remained.

"You're not letting go," he pointed out.

"Neither are you," she responded.

They both stood there for a few moments, waiting for the other person to release their grasp. But neither did.

"What's going on here?" Zack inquired out loud. "I thought we were only a couple until midnight?

The two of them pondered the enigma for a few moments.

"I think I know what happened," Yuffie then replied.

"What?"

"I think we've remained a couple."

"We've remained a couple?!" he asked.

"Mmm-hmm," Yuffie replied as she turned to face him.

And then, Zack realized that he had every opportunity to let go of Yuffie's hand. Yet, he did not. It had to be true.

"How did this happen?" he asked.

"That's the thing," she answered. "It just happened."

Zack was silent; this wedding date had really run away with itself.

"So what now?" he asked.

"Well," Yuffie answered, "you could let your girlfriend walk you back to Nibelheim."

"Do I have a choice?" he asked.

"No," she replied, "you don't. Tifa was right. This changed history thing kicks some serious ass."

1:00 p.m.

Tifa opened her eyes. The world focused for her a lot quicker than the previous time in the morning. The first thing she felt was the hard, wooden surface of the dock, and the first thing she saw was her naked husband, already awake and sitting up.

"Hey there!" Cloud softly greeted.

"Did I fall asleep?" she asked.

Cloud nodded the affirmative.

"I don't believe it," she sighed. "And I really did hear that was men who did that. I never knew women did, too."

"Neither did I," he admitted before standing up and helping Tifa to her feet.

"Want to explore the island?" she suggested.

"Sure," he agreed.

Smiling, she took his hand and led him on.

The island was surrounded by beaches, with modest foliage in the interior. About a quarter of the way around the island, Cloud and Tifa happened upon a swimming pool that was surrounded by a concrete asphalt.

"There's a pool here?" Tifa asked aloud. "With all these beaches everywhere?"

"Some people prefer fresh water," Cloud pointed out.

Tifa approached the pool and cautiously stuck her toe in. She withdrew it immediately.

"It's freezing!" she exclaimed. "I'd prefer the beach if it's okay with you."

Cloud nodded.

They came across a mini-golf course halfway around the island.

Tifa immediately gave Cloud a sweet and innocent look.

"Can we, Cloud?" she playfully pleaded.

Cloud sighed.

"We played mini golf at your sixth birthday party," he reminded her. "How would this be any different?"

"We had clothes on," Tifa laughed.

He sighed again in defeat.

"You got me there."

It turned out to be more of a treat for Tifa. She allowed her husband to go first, and ended up with a generous view of his naked body each turn.

After the round, they walked the beach for another half hour before finding themselves back at the cabin. Tifa began to lead him up the stairs, but suddenly stopped, and turned around to address him. She folded her hands behind her and made a flirty gesture.

"Do you want to have sex again tonight?" she asked.

"You bet," Cloud replied with a grin.

He noticed the flirty body language. He noticed how she had stopped a couple of stairs above him and turned around, giving him a view of her exposed lower half. He wondered something.

"Maybe I can give you a little treat right now," he continued seductively.

He then opened his mouth, and made a naughty gesture with his tongue.

Tifa gasped and quickly turned around.

"N-no, I don't like that," she quickly rebuffed, and quickly went to the top of the stairs.

She immediately sat down on the sofa and buried her face in her hands.

Cloud quickly entered the sitting room and knelt down to her level. He could see that she was not crying.

"I'm sorry," he apologized.

"No," she dismissed, "I'm sorry. I'm so embarrassed." She lowered her hands from her face.

Cloud smiled at her and stroked her hair.

"It's okay," he assured her.

Tifa quietly placed her hand on his bare shoulder.

"I'm sorry I'm not into kinky stuff," she continued. "That's just me."

In response, Cloud stood up, and helped Tifa to her feet. He wrapped his hands around her bare waist and hugged her tightly.

"I didn't marry you for the sex," he said to her gently. "I married you because you're my best friend."

Tifa looked up at her husband.

"Cloud," she began, "maybe some other time-"

"There doesn't have to be another time," he interjected. "If you don't like that, I can do without it. I'm here for your companionship. I want to spend the rest of my life with my best friend. That's all."

Tifa's eyes moistened before she firmly pressed her lips against his. She then took a step back as a tear escaped her eye.

"Thanks for taking me as I am," she said.

"I'll always take you as you are," he affirmed.

Tifa smiled, and reached behind herself.

"I'll take this shirt off," she said aloud as she discarded both her crop top and her bra, leaving herself naked once again. She then glanced at the television. "Up for another game of Mousetrap?"

3:00 p.m.

Cissnei lay on her stomach on her bed. She had her arm around Tobin, who was laying on his back. They had been there for the past several hours, still taking in what had happened during the previous day.

"Are we just going to lay here naked all day?" Cissnei playfully asked.

"Is that a problem?" asked Tobin.

"No way!" she laughed before kissing him. "But we could at least plan the honeymoon."

"We decided on Costa del Sol, didn't we?" he asked.

"I know," she said. "But how long do you want to stay there?"

"A week, if that's okay with you," he replied.

"It's okay with me," she agreed. "And if you're good, I'll wear a thong."

She felt a tingle inside from saying that; it made her realized how their relationship had just changed, now that she was saying sexy things to him.

"So," Tobin began, "after the honeymoon...what to we do?"

"You're still publishing your memoir, right?" Cissnei asked.

"Of course," Tobin replied.

"I think we have the perfect ending now!" she laughed before kissing him.

"I agree," he concurred. "We'll end it with our surprise wedding. Nobody will see that coming."

"We certainly didn't!" she said with a smile.

And then, she became quiet. There was something that had popped into her head a few hours after they had taken their vows, but so much had happened that she had never gotten the chance to bring it up. She realized that it was something she should have asked before they had gotten married, but, unlike most weddings, theirs did not come on cue.

"Well," she began, realizing that it needed to be addressed, "what would you think about an epilogue?"

"An epilogue after the wedding?" he asked. "What do you mean?"

Cissnei gently took his hand.

"Kids, of course," she replied.

"You want kids?" Tobin asked.

"Of course I want kids!" she replied. "Don't you?"

"Certainly," he said.

Cissnei smiled; it was a relief they had the same goals in that matter.

Simultaneously, they turned on their sides to face each other.

"I love you," she said to him as her eyes glistened.

"I love you, too," he replied, before kissing her.

4:00 p.m.

The knock sounded the front door to the modest house located in North Corel.

Barret got up off the sofa and headed for the door; nobody had ever came calling.

_Who the hell is this?_ he thought. _Sure as shit can't be Cloud and Tifa. _

He reached the door, and opened it, immediately seeing a familiar face standing before him.

"Jessie?"

"Hey, Barret," she greeted.

"I though you went home," he said.

"I did," she affirmed. "Last night. And then, today, I came here."

"To this shithole?" he exclaimed. "Why?"

"Because I wanted to see you," Jessie replied.

With that, she smiled, and hugged him.

Unaware to either party, Marlene was hiding behind the corner, eavesdropping. She was four years old, but she was not naive.

_Do they...like each other? she thought to herself._

5:00 p.m.

Cloud sat on the picnic table as Tifa stood in front of the grill, flipping hamburgers with her spatula. The rear view of his naked wife cooking was tempting, but he knew he needed to control himself; now was not a good time.

"Need any help?" he asked, mainly to hide the fact that he was staring at her.

"I've grilled before," Tifa replied. "Not in the nude, though!"

Cloud continued to watch as she took each hamburger off the grill and put it on a plate.

She was beautiful.

And she loved him with all her heart.

He simply couldn't resist.

Cloud stood up and made his way to Tifa, wrapping his arms around her as he did so.

Tifa suddenly became still, and remained silent.

Cloud took what he thought was the message.

_I'm invading her personal space,_ he thought. _Know when to stop, Cloud. Too much is too much._

He quickly released his grip and took a step back.

"Don't go," Tifa suddenly pleaded. "It's too good."

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"Your skin against mine," she clarified. "It's such a wonderful feeling."

Cloud reassumed his position, wrapping his arms around his love.

Tifa savored the feeling of the skin of his bare chest against the skin of her bare back. And then, something occurred to her. She turned herself around and looked at Cloud sincerely in the eyes.

"Cloud," she began as she placed her hands on his shoulders, "I know you've wanted to pick me up, and I've resisted because I'm an independent woman. But I realized something. I know you want to do it as an act of love, don't you?"

Cloud nodded.

"Then," Tifa continued, "you can pick me up."

"You sure?" he asked.

"I'm sure," she replied. "I've been wondering what it's like."

"Okay, then," he said.

He slowly lowered himself and enclosed his arms around her legs.

A moment later, Tifa gasped as she felt herself being lifted into the air. She soon found herself face to face with Cloud.

And she felt...secure. She also felt a closeness to him that she had trouble describing. But she was quickly beginning to enjoy it.

"You like this?" Cloud asked.

"You're putting your hands on my ass," Tifa replied. "How can I not?"

"I'm tempted to squeeze," he informed her.

"Don't tempt me!" she playfully warned. "The food will get cold!" She then smiled and kissed him.

Cloud continued to carry Tifa for a few moments before gently setting her down.

"I saw a canvas and easel in the closet this morning," she continued. "I want to paint tomorrow. And I want to be on your lap while I do it."

"Isn't that a little girly for you?" he asked.

"I'd like to try it," she insisted. "I mean, if I liked being bathed and picked up, who knows?"

"You can sit on my lap while we eat," Cloud offered.

"I would like to see your face, too," Tifa admitted.

And then, without warning, Tifa grabbed and picked him up the same way he had picked her up.

Cloud was amazed that his wife was capable of doing that.

"It's an act of love," she announced before kissing him.

7:00 p.m.

Marlene sat on the parlor floor in her pajamas. She knew it was her bed time; Barret never even had to tell her. He would simply take her by the hand and lead her into her bedroom.

Sure enough, Barret did just that. He also tucked her in and gave her her stuffed rabbit.

Marlene was tired, and ready to fall asleep, but she had one last thing on her mind.

"Why did she hug you when she came over?" she asked. "You just saw her yesterday."

"Who, Jessie?" Barret asked.

Marlene nodded.

"Some people're jus' like that," he replied.

"But you hugged her back," she continued. "You never hug anyone."

Barret sighed.

"I don't, do I?" he admitted.

"You like Jessie!" Marlene suddenly exclaimed.

"You need to get to sleep," he responded.

"When's Jessie going to be my mommy?"

"Go to sleep," Barret commanded.

He clicked off the light, went to the kitchen, and sat down at the table.

He realized that Marlene was well aware that he and Jessie liked each other.

He also realized that Marlene could use a mother.

Continuing the relationship would benefit them both.

He decided to take out his cell phone and call her.

8:00 p.m.

The sun was beginning to set over the private island as Cloud and Tifa strolled hand-in-hand on the beach.

Tifa felt the setting sun's warmth on her bare shoulders, simultaneously with the cool breeze that graced her body. And the naked man at her side, that she kept glancing at, made everything perfect.

"You keep looking at me blow my waist," Cloud pointed out.

"Just checking for sharp objects," she lamely lied.

"You mean you just want to glance at my-"

"Yes," Tifa laughed, slightly blushing. "Well, I'm only human! Plus, I've caught you glancing at the twin peaks during dinner!"

Cloud then blushed himself.

Suddenly, Tifa stopped, and gazed into the ocean.

"So this is how it all ends," she began.

"What ends?" Cloud asked.

"What began on your thirtieth in the old timeline," she clarified. "We regretted not getting married to each other. We reversed that. That arc is finally at rest. We can finally move forward, as if that mistake was never made." She paused. "And we're young again."

"The Geostigma Crisis is two years away," Cloud pointed out.

"I wouldn't say I'm looking forward to that," she admitted. "But there are other things I am."

"Like what?" Cloud asked as he wrapped his left arm around her bare waist.

"When do you want to start having kids?" she asked.

"I dunno," he answered. "How about you?"

"Sooner, rather than later," she replied. "I don't know what the future holds, but I think we can both agree that life is just too short to wait."

Cloud turned his wife around to face him, wrapping his other arm around her waist as well. He then leaned in and kissed her.

"Do you think we could come back here on our anniversary?" Tifa suddenly asked.

"Of course!" he replied. "Where's there will be no trouble, and no clothes, either."

"Even if I'm pregnant," she added. "And if I end up birthing on this island, I'm perfectly fine with it."

The newlyweds kissed again, this time with their tongues pressing against each other.

"Cloud," Tifa began, "I love you so much."

"And I love you," he replied. "To the moon and back."

They continued to stroll the beach for a while. Tifa felt like she was in paradise; this was her idea of Heaven.

"Do you want to have sex again?" she suddenly asked.

"When we get back to the cabin?" he asked.

"Right here on the beach," she suggested with a naughty grin.

In response, Cloud lowered his right hand, letting it rest for a moment on Tifa's bare butt. He then began to kiss her neck.

"I'll take that as a yes," she laughed before kissing him back.

9:00 p.m.

Marlene awoke.

Her mouth was dry, and she knew she would not go back to sleep unless she had a drink of water. She immediately got out of bed and left the bedroom. She made no effort to tip-toe; Barret never cared if she got up for a drink.

She entered the kitchen, took a newly-cleaned class from the dish-drainer, and filled it at the sink. She finished it in thirty seconds flat, smiling at the fact that her thirst was now quenched, and that she was now free to sleep.

And then, she turned to face the kitchen table.

And her smile faded.

Barret was gazing into his phone. His eyes were troubled.

"Daddy?" she asked. "What's worrying you?"

"Somethin's very wrong," he replied.

10:00 p.m.

Things had been quiet in Nibelheim that evening as the Continental Governor took her seat at her desk. It was Sunday, and she had taken the day off. But the elephant in the room had remained. Now she needed to deal with the person sitting in the seat across from her. It was, indeed, an inevitable task.

"Welcome home," Bismark greeted.

"Thank you for rescuing me," Karnak replied. "I heard the Island Gulag was destroyed by missiles after you did."

"You are correct," the Continental Governor confirmed as she took a sip of her drinking water.

"So the Island Gulag's been reduced to a pile of burning rubble?" he asked.

She nodded the affirmative.

"Still," she replied, "the damage was done. I didn't rescue you out of kindness, you know."

"I'm aware of that," Karnak admitted.

"And, yesterday," continued Bismark, "I got to officiate Cloud Strife and Tifa Lockheart's wedding. They're butt-naked on a private island as we speak. I also got to officiate a surprise wedding of Tobin Lockheart and Alicia Reynolds, or Cissnei, if you prefer. And to top it all off, Zack Fair is also on the loose, not to mention all the other inmates who escaped under your watch."

"I'll track them all down," Karnak assured her. "Starting with Cloud and Tifa. I'll make sure I kill them both. They were born naked. They might as well die in the same state."

The Continental Governor gave Karnak a skeptical look.

"You, my friend," she replied, "are somebody I have other plans for."

"Other plans?" he asked, growing concerned. "I can recapture each and every one of them."

"Nobody's ever done that," Bismark dismissed. "And even if you did, word has already spread. I saw twenty different petitions online, all calling for my arrest. All because you failed."

"It was my team that failed me," Karnak insisted. "They were killed one by one."

"You were still responsible for them," Bismark pointed out.

"I'll need a new team," Karnak continued. "One that's more experienced."

"You're done, my boy," the Continental Governor informed him. "I rescued you from the Island Gulag. But not to save your life." She opened a drawer in her desk. "I didn't want those missiles to kill you."

She then produced the contents of the drawer: a handgun.

"I wanted to kill you myself!"

Karnak prepared to bolt up from the chair, turn, and run.

Bismark was quicker. She pulled the trigger, placing a bullet in Karnak's brain in less than a second.

Karnak slumped in the chair, dead as a doornail.

She then closed the drawer, and stared for a moment at Karnak's body.

"Maybe you were created to fail," she said.

The Continental Governor then got up, and pushed her chair in. She walked over to the mirror in her office, humming softly to herself. She fixed her long, blond hair for a few moments, and smiled as a tear fell from her eye.

She then placed the gun into her mouth.

And she pulled the trigger.

11:00 p.m.

Tifa lay in the hammock. The stars had come out, and the crickets were chirping. The moon was full, and it shone brightly on her. It was a peaceful night.

She was laying on her back, on top of Cloud, who was also on his back, and already asleep. Both of his arms were wrapped around her waist. The feeling of his skin against hers made her feel safe and secure. She laughed for a moment; it somewhat reminded her of the time when she was twelve, when she accidentally fell asleep next to Cloud. It was one of her funniest memories, despite the tense family situation that had been going on all those years ago.

But, now, it was different.

She was naked, and Cloud was now her husband, in addition to her best friend. She was still amazed at how far they had gone together. There was no more uncertainty nor adventure in regards to their relationship, and she was content with that.

And, yet, there was one last loose end she had not tied up. She did not know if she could, but it was still on her mind. She had failed with it many times before, but, at that moment, suddenly feeling wired, she wanted to give that one last try. She felt some regret; she did not want to leave the comfort of her husband's arms. Yet she knew that she would not sleep if she stayed.

Slowly and cautiously, Tifa climbed out of the hammock and took a few steps away. Looking behind herself, she saw in relief that she had not disturbed the sleeping Cloud. She wanted to remain for a few moments and admire his naked body, but she knew she had the rest of her life to do that.

She began to tread down the dock. The stars seemed to shine even more brightly as she approached the end.

And she stopped.

Tifa then looked toward the stars.

"Mom?" she began, in a shaky voice. "It's me again."

There was no response, as always.

"I rescued Dad," she continued. "And I married Cloud. I'm happy, Mom. I'm really happy."

There was still no response.

_Tifa, you're crazy,_ she thought to herself. _ A girl has to grow up and move on._

Still, she had to be sure.

"Dad's okay, Mom," she continued. "He's sorry for what he's done. And now that he's safe, maybe he can make it up somehow." She paused. "I wish you could have seen me yesterday. I was a beautiful bride. And I remember how you told me that Cloud's a keeper. Well, Mom, he's your son-in-law, now."

The twinkling stars was the entirety of activity in the sky.

Tifa felt a wave of melancholy; it was likely her mother never heard her. Despite the fact that the souls of the dead went to the Lifestream, Tifa had the highest hopes that Claire was still watching over her; that she could hear her when she called out to her.

"Mom," she continued. "If you can't hear me, that's okay. I know you're alright. I just wanted one last chance to tell you I love you. And, then...I'll be okay."

And, at that moment, a shooting star streamed across the sky.

Tifa immediately gasped, and tears quickly began to stream from her eyes. She placed both of her hands on her heart.

Her mother _was_, in fact, watching over her.

She had been that entire time.

It was then that Tifa realized her mother wanted her to be the strong, independent woman she always had been. It was for her own good.

Tifa smiled as more tears of happiness ran down her cheeks.

It had turned out to be a wonderful week after all.


	77. A Man Alone

Premonitions II: Crisis Core

Chapter 77: A Man Alone

Monday, February 4, 0008

12:00 a.m.

Vincent trudged through the long, wet grass. Looking behind him, he could see that Nibelheim was in the distance. It was now time to get as far away from that place as he possibly could. He had no future there; only his past-the past he longed to forget-stood out there.

Everyone's arc seemed complete at this point. He had just attended two weddings. He had seen Reeve with his husband and daughter. He also saw Barret and Jessie together. All of his companions were either in a relationship or married. But not him. He was a man alone.

He was unique in a special way; he was in limbo between life and death. He could move and think like anyone else. But he did not eat nor drink. No living woman in her right mind could love him. No deceased woman could reach him.

And yet, there was someone else in his life, who was not exactly dead, and who was not exactly living.

Lucrecia Crescent.

She was the only woman he ever wanted in his life. But she was far out of his reach; sealed away in a crystal in a cave that virtually nobody could reach. He had entered that domain, and told him her son was dead. It was a lie, of course, but it was to protect her.

1:00 a.m.

An hour later, Vincent found himself in Cosmo Canyon. All buildings but one had their lights out, and, other than that one building, Cosmo Candle was the only source of light in the town.

As Vincent approached the flame, he could see Red XIII sitting nearby.

"Vincent?" the beast greeted. "What are you doing out here?"

"Drifting," Vincent replied.

"At one in the morning?" Red XIII asked. "Shouldn't you be home?"

Vincent scoffed.

"What home? You found me in a casket. I haven't had a home since before even you were born. I'm a man alone."

"I'm a man alone, too!" Red XIII insisted.

"You are no man," Vincent retorted.

"Whatever," sighed the beast, "I'm the last of my race. You think I'm ever going to find a mate?"

Instead of responding, Vincent drew his attention to the one building that still had its lights on. He began to make his way to it.

"You're going in there?" Red XIII asked. "That's a strip bar, you know."

"What's the harm?" Vincent replied. "It's where all men alone go. Come along."

"I'll pass," Red XIII dismissed. "I'm not into humans."

Without looking back, Vincent entered the sleazy abode, and sat down at the bar.

Inside, an exotic dancer, no more than eighteen years old. pole-danced and twerked wearing nothing but a ruby studded thong.

She continued to twerk in Vincent's direction, but, after a short time, he simply got up and left, knowing it would go nowhere.

And he went, of all places, into the bathroom. Being a living corpse, Vincent never had to relieve himself. But now, he wanted to relieve himself of human contact.

Sure enough, he was relieved that no other human beings were there. Finally, the solitude was his.

And then, Lucrecia appeared in the mirror.

"You can appear in the mirror?" he began.

Lucrecia nodded.

"You lied to me," she began. "You told me my son was dead."

"You lied to me, too," he retorted. "Years ago."

FLASHBACK...

Lucrecia sat at her desk as Vincent Valentine of the Turks entered her office.

It was two days after the incident at the Shinra Mansion. The pain of the breakup was still fresh in his heart. He knew she would want little, if anything, to do with him. Still, he needed closure.

"Hi, Lucrecia," he softly greeted.

"Did you need something?" she asked in a monotone, without looking up.

"I need to know what happened two days ago," he replied.

"Easy," she answered. "It ended."

"Why?" he naturally asked next.

"You scared me," she replied as she finally looked at him.

"Scared you?" asked the perplexed Vincent.

"We were moving way too fast, and it was making me uncomfortable," she snapped. "Didn't anyone ever tell you that moving to fast can drive someone away?"

"You seemed fine with everything," Vincent said. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I'm telling you now!" she retorted.

"Then why didn't you tell me before you decided to dump me?"

Lucrecia gave Vincent an angry look.

"I think you've overstayed your welcome," she growled.

"Excuse me?" Vincent grunted. "None of this even makes any sense!"

"Get out now, before I call public safety to look into a restraining order!" Lucrecia demanded.

Not wanting to chance it, Vincent softly turned and left.

...END FLASHBACK

"Why do you torture me?" Vincent demanded.

"Why do you blame me?" Lucretia retorted.

"You could have just told me the truth," he reprimanded. "Why didn't you tell me you knew my father?"

"Why did you tell me my son was dead?"

She had a point; he had lied to her as much as she had lied to him.

"I knew you were lying," she continued. "I could feel him the whole time. The last week or so, I couldn't, but now I can again. So, Vincent Valentine, please tell me the truth. Is Sephiroth alive or dead?"

"He's like is," Vincent replied.

"Like us?" Lucrecia asked.

"He's neither," he clarified. "He's been petrified. He's a stone statue. It's an endless state of living death."

"Oh," she said softly.

"And furthermore," Vincent continued, "how can you reach me through the mirror? Aren't you sealed away in a crystal?"

"I am sealed away," she replied. "I sealed myself away."

"Wait a minute," Vincent began.

But then, Lucrecia suddenly disappeared.

Vincent found himself alone in the bathroom, staring at his own reflection.

Old wounds were now opened. He was frustrated, wondering whether she was playing some kind of game.

And yet, he still loved her.

2:00 a.m.

After about another hour, Vincent found himself approaching another town. There were only half of the lights on, and, even in the dark, he could see that the town was dilapidated. He soon passed the sign that said it all: "WELCOME TO NORTH COREL."

As he passed one of the nicer homes, Vincent could see someone sitting on his front porch. He recognized the individual; it was Barret. He had a troubled look on his face.

"What's worrying you?" Vincent asked.

"It's that damned petrified Sephiroth!" Barret replied. "He's gone!"


	78. On the Trail of Sephiroth

Chapter 78: On the Trail of Sephiroth

Monday, February 4, 0008

10:00 a.m.

He was thought to have died, but Zack Fair was not one to easily expire. He stood at the entrance to North Corel. Word traveled fast; he was now here to make something of himself. He had no one to work for. He had nowhere to go. This was is chance to steer his new life in a new direction.

"Zack Fair?" someone called.

Zack turned to see who had been calling.

It was Red XIII approaching.

"You," Zack greeted. "You know, I don't think we've even been formally introduced. I'm Zack."

"My name is Nanaki," the felid replied. "But everyone calls me Red XIII."

"I think I know why everyone's here," Zack said.

"Sephiroth has somehow been un-petrified," Red XIII began. "Barret's called an emergency meeting."

"I heard," Zack said. "That's why I'm here."

"That's right," Red XIII realized out loud. You've encountered Sephiroth before."

Zack nodded.

"So," the felid continued, "what happened?"

"He got the best of me," Zack replied. "And I ended up spending four years in a tube. And when I woke up, I lost everything."

"I am sorry," Red XIII commented.

"And that's why I'm here," Zack repeated. "To get my hands on him. I've learned a thing or two since then."

"You would be filling a vacancy," Red XIII observed.

"I've got some big shoes to fill, I know," Zack admitted.

"Listen," Red XIII began. "When we find Sephiroth, I don't know if anyone told you this already, but we need to make sure he stays alive."

"I can't promise that," Zack dismissed. "I had a job. I had SOLDIER status. I had a girlfriend. I had a future. And, because of that son of a bitch, it all changed."

11:00 a.m.

Vincent, Zack, Red XIII, Barret, Jessie, Cait Sith, Cid, and Yuffie were gathered in the parlor in Barret's North Corel home.

"Well," Barret began solemnly, "I think we all know why we're all here."

Everyone was silent.

"The cam caught this the other day," he continued as he produced a tablet, aiming the screen at everyone.

The tablet showed the petrified Sephiroth in the same position as he had last been seen in.

Suddenly, a man appeared in the room. He had long gray hair and a beard, and looked oddly dressed. He seemed to stare at the petrified Sephiroth for a few moments.

Then, Sephiroth began to glow green.

Everyone watching the tablet could tell that the intruder had cast a heal on him.

The intruder moved to a safe distance.

Finally, the glowing ceased.

Sephiroth was alive as ever.

He looked around, but did not seem bewildered; prior to being petrified, he had been well aware of his impending fate. He assumed a normal stance, and briefly scanned the intruder.

"You're not my enemy," Sephiroth observed.

"My name is Noba," the man introduced. "I was sent here by the Great Father."

Sephiroth scanned Noba again. He did not seem interested in who he was at the moment.

"Did Meteor fall?" he finally asked.

"Almost," Noba replied. "Lifestream emerged from the ground and destroyed it."

Sephiroth lowered his head.

"No," he groaned. "I was foiled."

"You can still get revenge on those who foiled you," Noba assured him. "And the world."

Sephiroth looked directly at Noba.

"How?" he demanded.

"The all-powerful Great Father is seeking you," Noba replied. "He is waiting for you on the Southern Continent. Come with me to Xenara."

"How long was I petrified?" Sephiroth asked.

"A week, maybe," Noba replied. "I don't know for sure. What I do know is that the Great Father sent me to get you. He can make you the god you wanted to be."

And then, Sephiroth seemed to turn directly toward those who were watching the tablet; he had seen the camera. He quickly destroyed it with his sword, ending the video.

The tablet went blank.

"So, he's joined a cult," Cid dismissed. "Big fucking deal."

"Any cult becomes a thousand times more dangerous when Sephiroth joins it," Cait Sith pointed out. "Just think of the Temple of the Ancients. A harmless old religious artifact, huh? Not to mention, we have no idea where the Black Materia is now, not to mention the Chronus Wand."

"There's no way anyone can get to the Southern Continent," Vincent dismissed. "Assuming it even exists, which I don't think it does.

"Is there a Southern Continent?" Yuffie asked.

"No one knows," Red XIII answered. "Nor will anyone, because of that...obstacle."

"Obstacle?" Yuffie asked.

"The Storm Belt," Vincent answered. "A ring of violent storms that encircles the entire planet."

"You mean like the Eternal Wind Barrier," Yuffie pointed out.

"It's worse than that," Vincent replied. "Not even the Highwind can get through it. Nobody's ever been beyond it. No one knows how deep it is. Maybe it goes on forever."

"Then how did he get through it?" Red XIII asked.

"Maybe he meant Eros Nova," Yuffie suggested.

"Where?" Red XIII inquired.

"Eros Nova," Yuffie repeated. "The southernmost point of civilization."

"Isn't that a resort island?" Cait Sith asked.

"Yup," Cid chimed in. "It's south of Mideel."

"I don't think Sephiroth would wanna go there," Barret dismissed. "Isn't that a big-assed version of Costa del Luna?"

"Great pun," Zack commented.

"There's two sides, actually," Cid clarified. "There's a prude side, and a nude side."

"Now I remember," Cait Sith said. "Wasn't that where they had that uprising a couple of years ago?"

"That's the one," Cid replied. "Funny, it started on the prude side."

"Hey, wait a minute," Zack said. "Cid, didn't you go up into space?"

"You bet your sweet ass," he replied.

"And did you see any Southern Continent?"

"I really wasn't looking," Cid answered. "I was watching the rocket hurling toward Meteor."

Zack sighed.

"Well, that's helpful," he muttered.

"You know," Cait Sith continued, "maybe Yuffie's right. Maybe he did mean Eros Nova."

"Are you saying we should all go down there and check?" Red XIII asked.

"Well," Cait Sith replied, "there's only one way to find out."

LATER...

One of the finest buildings in North Corel was the inn. Vincent, of course, had no need to sleep there; he had slept enough recently. Yet he remained there, as it was where everyone would be meeting in the lobby in the morning.

It was now eleven in the evening. The front desk had closed, and Vincent now sat alone in said lobby. There was a sofa and a few chairs in the room, along with a couple of plants, and a giant mirror on one of the walls.

And, sure enough, Lucrecia appeared in the mirror.

Vincent simply looked her in the eyes; he had almost been expecting her to appear.

"So now you're going after my son," she began.

"He's dangerous," Vincent replied. "Every dangerous man is somebody's son."

Lucrecia gave a look of concern.

"Are you going to kill him?" she asked.

"No," he dismissed. "We all agreed he's more dangerous dead than alive."

"I see," Lucrecia said.

Vincent then realized that he had the opportunity to resume the last conversation he had had with her.

"You never did answer my question the last time," he pointed out. "Why did you leave me? The truth."

"Because I killed your father, that's why," Lucrecia replied as she closed her eyes. "Happy now?"

"You didn't kill my father," he dismissed. "Chaos did."

Lucrecia nodded.

"But I felt so guilty," she continued.

"And you resolved it by hurting me and marrying a madman?" Vincent retorted.

"I wasn't thinking," Lucrecia sighed. "I do worthless things because I'm a worthless person."

"I never thought so," Vincent dismissed. "Neither did your mom."

Lucrecia opened her eyes.

"You still remember meeting my mom?" she asked, almost seeming somewhat amused.

"I'll never forget that day," he replied.

FLASHBACK...

It was three weeks into their relationship when Lucrecia had broken the news to Vincent that her mother had wanted to meet him. The day had arrived, and Vincent was waiting in his house for Lucrecia to show up. He would drive her to Rocket Town, where her mother, Laura, lived. He was wearing a button-down and khakis; he wanted to look his best for both women.

And then, a knock sounded his front door. Vincent has no doubt whom it was. He opened the door, and was greeted by the sight of Lucrecia Crescent, dressed, to his surprise, in jeans and a tee shirt.

"I've never seen you dressed down before," he observed. "Am I overdressed?"

"Not at all," Lucrecia assured him. "I'm not the one who needs to impress her."

Vincent stood silently, somewhat baffled.

"I'm just messing with you!" she laughed before hugging him and pecking him on the cheek.

LATER...

Vincent drove Lucrecia around Mount Nibel, arriving in Rocket Town around five. He parked the car outside of her mother's house when he noticed she seemed uneasy.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"I think I should warn you ahead of time," she began. "My mom's a little...outspoken."

"Outspoken?" he asked.

"She's very open," she clarified. "Let me put it this way: she's a doctor."

"Gotcha," Vincent acknowledged.

Lucrecia still felt uneasy, but she wanted to waste no more time. The two of them got out of the car and knocked on the door.

A few moments later, her mother answered the door. She looked like Lucrecia, though, of course, much older.

"Vincent!" she greeted.

"That's me," he replied.

"Welcome," she said. "I'm Laura."

She then led them in. The three of them had dinner and made small talk.

_This isn't so bad,_ Vincent thought.

Then Laura began to ask all the "mom" questions.

"So what do you do?" she began.

"I'm a Turk," Vincent replied. "That's how we met."

"That's a good profession," Laura complimented. "I'm a gynecologist. They pay me six figures to look at vaginas."

Lucrecia blushed slightly.

_So that's what she meant,_ Vincent realized.

"That reminds me," Laura continued, "I had this one couple come into the delivery room. They asked me for some time alone. They said it was to pray in private, but..."

"Oh, no," Lucrecia sighed.

"Yeah," Laura continued. "They were getting it on while in labor. Supposedly it helps the pain."

"Mom!" Lucrecia laughed as she smacked her hand to her head in embarrassment.

"What?" Laura asked innocently.

"Stick to the 'mom' questions!" her daughter pleaded.

"Okay, okay," Laura agreed. "How much older is he than you?"

"I'm older than him!" Lucrecia replied. "By three months."

"Wait a minute," Laura suddenly said. "Vincent, what's your last name?"

"Valentine," he replied.

"Valentine," Laura echoed. "Now I remember. I delivered you!"

Lucrecia's face was bright red.

LATER THAT EVENING...

Vincent and Lucrecia arrived back in Nibelheim. As Vincent parked the car in front of his house, he suddenly felt Lucrecia's hand on his.

"You didn't run away," she began.

"Why would I?" Vincent asked.

"Because of my mom," she replied. "She drives a lot of people away with her antics."

"There's not a lot of people like me," Vincent pointed out as he gently placed his hand on hers.

Lucrecia smiled. Then, the smile suddenly faded. She had something on her mind.

"What's up?" he asked.

"The drive back to Cosmo Canyon's kind of dangerous at night," she replied.

"I know," he agreed. "It's not well-lit, and there's monsters all over the place. It wouldn't be safe to leave the town until morning."

"You're right," Lucrecia agreed.

She then paused, and became somewhat nervous at what she was going to say next. She did not know how to say it, so she simply said it.

"Can I stay with you tonight?" she requested.

Vincent was surprised. It was early in their relationship; he had expected her to go to the inn.

"I'm sorry," she immediately apologized. "Was that too forward?"

Embarrassed, she looked away.

Vincent was at a loss. He certainly did not see it coming. And yet...he liked the idea.

Gently, he placed his arm on her shoulder.

Cautiously, Lucrecia turned to face him.

"It's not too forward," he assured her.

"Really?" she asked.

Vincent nodded.

"It's not safe out there," he said. "You can stay with me."

"Are you sure?" she asked.

Vincent nodded again.

"I'm sure."

Lucrecia smiled.

"Thanks," she said before kissing him.

They got out of the car. Then, Lucrecia made her way to her own parked vehicle and opened the rear driver's side door. She produced a duffel bag.

"You packed?" Vincent asked.

"Just in case," Lucrecia replied with a smile.

Vincent smiled back, realizing she had been planning it.

LATER...

The rest of the evening wrote itself. Vincent and Lucrecia sat on the sofa, watching a couple of movies. She had her head rested on his shoulder the entire time; she was quite relieved that her mother had not driven him away. It proved what she had been hoping for; Vincent was a keeper.

And then, it was time for bed.

"I'm going to change in the bathroom," Lucrecia announced.

She then took her bag and disappeared into the bathroom, closing the door behind her.

Without further ado, Vincent made his way to the bedroom and changed into his pajamas. He was somewhat amused that Lucrecia was actually spending the night with him. He realized that she really liked him; he had never been this close to a girl before. He had certainly never spent the night with one.

Vincent then turned his head just in time to see a figure in the shadows approaching him from down the hall. As the figure entered the bedroom, he became stunned.

Lucrecia was wearing a short, blue, satin, spaghetti-strap chemise nightgown.

Vincent had never seen her legs. He had never even seen her hair down.

"Well," she began with a smile, "is it summer or is it summer?"

"It's summer," the smitten Vincent replied.

"Can I sleep in your arms tonight?" she requested. "Just so I can feel that we're together?"

"Of course," Vincent replied.

They climbed into bed, Vincent turning out the light. He wrapped his arms around Lucrecia and held her close.

"You really are a wonderful man, Vincent," she complimented.

Vincent kissed her in response.

Lucrecia felt like the luckiest girl in the world.

...END FLASHBACK

"We didn't make love that night," Vincent pointed out.

"I know," Lucrecia replied. "That wasn't the point. You got to see the softer, feminine side of me. You got to see that, no matter how professional I got, I was still a woman."

"You never did answer my question from last night," Vincent pointed out.

"What question?" Lucrecia asked.

"If you sealed yourself, can't you free yourself?"

Lucrecia lowered her head in sadness.

"I don't deserve to be free," she replied. "I don't deserve to live."

And she disappeared.

Vincent was now alone in the lobby.

_One day, I'll get her out of there,_ he thought to himself.


	79. Eros Nova

Premonitions II: Crisis Core

Chapter 79: Eros Nova

Tuesday, February 5, 0008

The noon sun shone brightly in the midday sky as the Highwind landed on the northeast side of the island of Eros Nova. It was a small island, but not too small for Sephiroth to hide on.

Vincent, Zack, Cid, Barret, Red XIII, Cait Sith, Yuffie, and Jessie stepped out onto the hot sandy terrain, and could feel the heat immediately. Eros Nova was one of the hottest places in the world, both literally and figuratively.

"This is the southernmost point of civilization," Cid pointed out as he wiped the sweat from his forehead.

"That we know about," Red XIII added.

It was realized that, in regards to whether there was a Southern Continent, they would soon know the answer.

"So what now?" Yuffie asked.

"We search the island," Barret replied. "Sephiroth's gotta be somewhere on it."

"The whole island?" Yuffie inquired. "That would take a while."

"We'll split," Barret explained. "Some of us take the prude side, some of us take the nude side."

"How thorough will the search be?" Red XIII asked.

"We'll ask around," Barret answered. "Everyone'll know what Sephiroth looks like. If they saw somethin', they'll say somethin'."

"So," Yuffie continued with her hands folded behind her back, "how are we going to decide who takes what side?"

Yuffie, of course, was hoping for the nude side.

"I'll make that call," Barret assured her.

"Since I don't wear clothes anyway," Red XIII began, "I may as well take the nude side."

"Second," added Cait Sith. "I don't wear any clothes and I don't have any genitals, either."

"You didn't have to be that graphic," Red XIII reprimanded.

"Makes sense," Barret agreed. "I approve."

"Two more exposed pussies on the nude side," Cid pointed out.

Everyone stared at him blankly.

"Come on!" he protested. "That was funny, right?"

Everyone continued to star at him blankly.

"What side am I on?" Yuffie asked, no longer able to contain herself.

"The prude side," Barret replied.

"Damn!" Yuffie snapped.

"Along with Cid, Zack, Jessie, and myself," Barret added. "Vincent can join Cait Sith and Red XIII on the nude side."

"That would make sense," Vincent agreed. "Nobody on the nude side would likely be a necrophile."

Cid slowly turned towards Vincent.

"Can you even get it up?" he asked.

Vincent stood silently, cold as a statue.

"Never mind," Cid continued. "Sorry I asked."

Wasting no time, Vincent, Red XIII, and Cait Sith went off to where they said they would be going off to. Zack, Barret, Yuffie, Cid, and Jessie remained on the prude side.

Suddenly, Barret felt a hand clasping his.

Of course, it was Jessie's.

"We should come back here when we're done," she began. "The prude side, of course. I haven't worn a bikini in forever."

"You guys," Yuffie reprimanded, "Sephiroth is somewhere on this island. Need I remind you that he kills people?"

"No need," Jessie assured her.

"You can have your date later," Yuffie insisted.

"Who died an' left you in charge?" Barret demanded.

LATER...

The three "lucky" ones arrived at the nude side and began exploring. It might be expected that they were having the time of their lives, but that was certainly not the case. In Red XIII's case, he was simply not human, and was not attracted to any of the flesh he saw. As far as Cait Sith went, he was, of course, actually Reeve, who had a husband and daughter at home.

This left Vincent, who had only one woman on his mind. At one point during the search, he became separated from the other two. He had been planning this ever since he realized that he was going to Eros Nova. By chance, he happened upon his fortune; someone had abandoned a hand-held mirror on the sand. Vincent quickly picked the mirror up, and immediately viewed whom he had been hoping to view.

"Aren't you hot?" Lucrecia asked.

"I'm dead," Vincent replied, addressing her in the mirror.

"You remember what this place meant to us, don't you?" Lucrecia asked.

"Of course I do," Vincent replied. "Our first vacation together."

FLASHBACK...

Vincent remembered seeing the palm trees swing in the breeze as he stepped off the plane. It was then that he knew he was in the tropics, and an awfully long way from home.

Lucrecia stepped off second, wearing a white skirt and a black tank top. She took off her sunglasses and looked around at her surroundings.

"We're in paradise," she announced.

It was a month after Vincent had met Lucrecia's mother. It had actually been Vincent who suggested that they take their first vacation together, though it was Lucrecia who envisioned Eros Nova. They were on the "prude side," as they had planned nothing more than good clean fun.

A ride share drove them to the hotel; Lucrecia was holding Vincent's hand and smiling the entire ride over. She was relieved to get away from her job, and to spend time with Vincent, purely as a couple. She was no longer a scientist; for now, she was simply Vincent Valentine's girlfriend.

After a brief ride, they arrived at their hotel. The manager himself greeted them, shook both their hands, and led them to their hotel room. Their room had a king-sized bed and wooden walls.

As soon as the manager left, Lucrecia threw herself on the bed.

"Whew!" she exclaimed. "No work for a week!"

She then patted the empty spot next to her, signaling Vincent to join her.

That night, she wore the same short, blue, satin, spaghetti-strap chemise nightgown that she had worn before; Vincent was shirtless in pajama bottoms. Both of them were hoping to consummate their relationship on the trip, but neither pursued the opportunity that night.

They spent the second day in the "pool area." The name had two meanings: there was a swimming pool there, as well as a pool table.

Vincent was wearing white trunks; Lucrecia a white bikini. It was the most they had seen of each other yet, and one was often trying to sneak a peek at the other when said other was not looking.

They played volleyball with several other guests in the pool. They then played pool, still in their swimwear. There was a small bar where they had their lunch and dinner; they spent a total of twelve hours in the "pool area" without leaving.

On the third day, they went sailing in the waters off of the north coast. They also went snorkeling blow. Lucrecia was amazed; she had never seen water so clear before. She and Vincent would frequently remove their masks to kiss. It truly was a beautiful world, as Lucrecia almost began to wish she was a mermaid.

On the fourth day, Vincent and Lucrecia spotted, out of the corners of their eyes, someone they knew: Hojo. Neither one of them was happy to see him.

"What's he doing down here?" Lucrecia asked.

Vincent shrugged.

"Forget I asked," she sighed. "Everyone knows he tries to get into every girl's pants he can. The real question is what is he doing on the prude side?"

"The prude side?" Vincent asked.

Lucrecia put her hand to her mouth and began to giggle.

"What's so funny?" he inquired.

"You do know about that little tidbit?" she replied. "About the island?"

He gave her a dumbfounded look.

"I'll take that as a no," she observed. "The whole western third of the island is clothing optional."

"I did not know that," Vincent admitted.

And then, Lucrecia suddenly smiled and kissed him.

"You really just came with me to have some good clean fun?" she asked.

"Why wouldn't I?" he replied.

She then kissed him again.

On the fifth day, Lucrecia was unusually quiet, as if she had something on her mind. She was by no means distant; she was holding his hand the entire time. She was dressed in a pair of green cargo capris and a mahogany tank top, and had led him to the southernmost point on the island. There was a telescope pointed south; Lucrecia was the first to look into it.

"You've got to see this!" she exclaimed.

Vincent obeyed and looked into the telesope. To the south, he could see dark gray clouds, as well as large, rough waves, and flashes of lightening.

"What is it?" he asked, still gazing at the menacing drama out in the distance.

"It's the Storm Belt," she replied. "If you travel south, you won't get any farther than this. This goes around the entire planet."

"What's on the other side?" Vincent asked.

"No one knows," she answered. "I personally think there's a Southern Continent."

"And nobody's tried to cross it?"

"A few people went in," Lucrecia informed him. "None of them came out."

"I wonder what's on the Southern Continent," Vincent stated.

"Maybe towns like Kalm, maybe cities like Midgar," she suggested. "Maybe forests, mountains, and creatures we've never seen before."

At that point, Vincent removed himself from the telescope and stared into the ocean with his own eyes. He could no longer see the storm. He then felt Lucrecia's elbow casually resting on his shoulder.

"God, I wish I could get beyond that Storm Belt," she said before pecking him on the cheek.

She then stepped away from him.

Vincent had heard of the Storm Belt before, but he had never thought about what might lie beyond it. He looked into the horizon one more time. He then turned around.

And that was when he noticed. Lucrecia was standing with her back turned to him, with her head turned just enough so he could see her smiling at him. She had taken off her pants, and was wearing a lime green thong bikini bottom.

Before Vincent could say anything, she made her way up to him, put her hands on his shoulders, and kissed him on the mouth.

"This has been on my mind all day," she said with a smile. "If you want, we can go to the nude side. We're only about half a mile from the boundary."

Vincent was astounded. They were still somewhat early in their relationship, and had not seen her invitation coming.

"Are you sure?" he asked.

Lucrecia smiled and nodded.

"I think I'm ready for us to take that step," she replied.

With that, she kissed him again, pressing her tongue against his.

And then, Vincent realized he was resting his hand on her butt.

And she did not object; she simply broke the kiss and smiled.

"Well," she began, "shall we?"

He smiled back.

"Let's."

Lucrecia then handed him her discarded capris.

"Carry your girlfriend's pants for her?" she sweetly requested.

Vincent tucked them under his right arm, and took Lucrecia's hand with his left.

The walk was not long; after a few minutes, they came across the sign: BEYOND THIS POINT, YOU MAY ENCOUNTER NUDE BATHERS.

Said bathers were already visible. As they crossed the boundary, they paid no attention to them; they were only interested in each other.

Soon, they arrived at their spot on the beach. Smiling, Lucrecia let go of her boyfriend's hand and stepped several yards in front of him. Without hesitating, she tossed off her tank, revealing that she was not wearing a bikini top. She then turned her head towards Vincent once more, allowing him to see her smile. She then gripped her green thong bottoms, slipped them down, and stepped out of them. She then turned to Vincent, made her way over to him, and kissed him.

"My God, my vagina's out!" Lucrecia exclaimed before laughing.

She then kissed him again before scanning his clothed body.

"Now Vincent," she playfully reprimanded, "it's not fair for me to be the only one naked. We can do CMNF later."

Vincent disrobed as he was told. Then, he heard the icing on the cake.

"Ready to lose your virginity in public?"

"In public?" he asked in surprise.

"Animals do it," she pointed out. "And we're glorified animals, aren't we?"

...END FLASHBACK...

"I can't believe we made love the first time with people watching," Lucrecia sighed.

"We weren't the only ones," Vincent replied. "I saw three couples doing the same thing shortly before I found the mirror."

"This place is one of a kind," she laughed.

"Of course," he continued, "I'm not here for sensuality."

Lucrecia closed her eyes.

"I know," she said. "You're after my son."

"We learned he was going south," he continued. "So we came here. He seemed to have joined some cult. He's off to some mythical placed called Xenara. He's supposed to meet the Great Father. I'm assuming that's their god."

"He's not here," she informed him as she opened her eyes.

"Are you sure?" Vincent asked.

"The bond between a mother and son is strong," she continued. "He's not on this island."

Vincent was silent. He had a feeling that this island would be a dead end. And yet, perhaps it would not be.

"If you can feel where he is," he began, "where is he?"

"If I tell you," Lucrecia replied, "will you promise not to kill him?"

"We agreed to that long ago," he promised. "The whole world needs him alive."

"I do feel him south of here," Lucrecia said.

"But that would take us past the Storm Belt," Vincent pointed out.

"I know," she admitted. "But if he made it through..."

And she disappeared before she finished.

LATER...

Each party searched every corner of Eros Nova, but found no sign of Sephiroth.

"Well, that was productive," Yuffie said sarcastically after everyone regrouped. "Nobody found one lead?!"

Red XIII shook his head. "Everyone knows what Sephiroth looks like. Nobody's seen him."

"Great," Cid grunted. "We came all this fucking way for nothing!"

Vincent decided it was time to tell the truth.

"That's not entirely accurate," he said.

"Oh?" Cid replied sarcastically.

"I think it's time I told everyone about...Lucrecia Crescent."

"This better take less than an hour," Cid sighed.

FIFTY-NINE MINUTES AND TWENTY-SIX SECONDS LATER...

Cid was practically laughing.

"Where do you come up with this bullshit, anyway?"

"I don't think that's the case," Red XIII dismissed. "Remember she appeared in that cave? The others there saw her, too."

"And now she's appearin' in mirrors," Barret added. "That is kinda hard to swallow."

"I'm not lying," Vincent insisted. "She's been appearing to me through mirrors now. She said she feels his presence south of here. Beyond the Storm Belt."

"Are you sure you can trust her?" Cid asked. "She is Sephiroth's mom."

"What else can we do?" Vincent replied. "Sephiroth's on the loose. The last time he ran amok, he nearly killed us all."

"Vincent has a point," Zack added. "It's vague, but it's the only lead we have. And who knows whether there's things out there much worse than the Black Materia."

"That guy who freed Sephiroth said they were going south, Red XIII pointed out. "And if he's not on this island, he has to be south of here."

"But how did he get through the Storm Belt?" Cait Sith inquired.

"That's one hell of a question," Zack admitted. "But him getting through it proves that it can be survived."

Everyone was silent. It was clear that a trek into the Storm Belt was inevitable at this point.

"Excuse me," a female voice suddenly called.

The seven of them turned to see a black-haired girl approach them. She seemed to be in her mid-to-late teens.

"Aren't you Zack Fair?" the girl asked.

"That's my name," Zack replied. "What can I do you for?"

"My name is Ellie," the girl introduced. "And I overheard you guys talking about crossing over to the Southern Continent."

"If it exists," Cid corrected.

"Oh, it exists," Ellie stated. "I came from there."

The seven of them looked at her skeptically.

"You got through the Storm Belt?" Red XIII asked.

"I sure did," Ellie replied.

There was more silence. This almost seemed too good to be true.

"You sure?" Barret inquired.

"I'll show you!" Ellie declared.

LATER...

"This is it?" Yuffie asked skeptically.

"This is it," Ellie replied.

The vessel was spherical, resting comfortably in the water at the dock.

"Being a sphere, it's impossible to capsize," Ellie continued.

"And you're letting us take it?" Jessie asked.

"Of course I'll let you take it," Ellie replied.

"What's the catch?" Barret asked.

"I have no use for it," Ellie insisted. "There's no catch. It's served its purpose for me."

Everyone looked at each other in relief.

"That was easy," Yuffie said.

"The real challenge is yet to come," Red XIII pointed out.

"What about the Highwind," Cid suddenly blurted out. "We can't just leave it there!"

"He's right," Jessie realized. "We can't have it fall into the wrong hands."

There was less of a silence here. One of them made it obvious he did not want to make the journey into the Storm Belt.

"I'll stay behind and keep an eye on it," Cid announced as he walked off without a word.

"What a cowardly pussy!" Yuffie exclaimed. She then turned toward Red XIII. "Sorry."

"That would be understandable," the felid said.

A few minutes later, the remaining seven boarded the sphere.

"Guys," Cait Sith began, "I've been thinking."

"What's up?" asked Jessie.

"Ellie was quick to give up her vessel, as if she never wanted to use it again," Cait Sith replied.

"And?" Jessie inquired.

"Well," the cat continued, "it sounds like she was running away from something on the other side."


End file.
